Toy Size
by Blackwolf-20
Summary: When Andy tinkers with a mysterious new toy, it shrinks him down. Now Woody and the gang must decide how far to expose themselves while helping their human get back to normal.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own Toy Story**

**Ah, my first really long disney fic. I had some practise writing it when I wrote my other TS story; a oneshot. I probably wouldn't have written this if I had found a story like it, but I haven't seen a plot where Andy meets his toys-on their level. Here, the story takes place between TS1 and TS2 where Andy is fifteen and in the middle of thinking of the changes in his life. His toys are long forgotten; but not for long.**

Instant Dislike

Andy wrinkled his nose at the sight of him, but still attempted to be decent to the man he disliked. Mr. Warrick was a short and seemingly harmless little man, who appeared innocent enough as a man who worked with toys. But Andy was the only one who didn't think he was so innocent. He lived a couple of blocks away and even from that distance, Andy felt he was someone to be wary of. But it wasn't as though he were doing anything particularly bad. At the moment, the only thing he seemed interested in doing was making friends with the young teen. But Andy wasn't so willing.

Andy nodded politely at the idle conversation as he shifted a semi-heavy box in his arms. It was for a yard sale which was the only thing that could drag Mr. Warrick away from the hideaway of his seemingly pleasant home. He hardly ever saw him, in fact few people did as Mr. Warrick liked his privacy. Half the time, people wondered if he was away on vacation. But he never went anywhere. Andy noticed whenever he had to pass his house during a walk or a car ride. He would catch Warrick peeking out of his window. Pulling back the shade, and giving the neighborhood children an odd stare. Andy never liked the look he gave them. It wasn't like a child predator look, but the look of serious disappointment and anger. Andy didn't understand it, but it was the one thing that made him so suspicious of the man. The bad part was, he was the only one who felt that way.

"Yeah, yeah, right, um, excuse me Mr. Warrick," Andy said in forced politeness as he moved past him with the box. "I really need to be helping my mom with the sale."

"Oh sure sure sure, sure, I understand," he said, in a hoarse voice which made Andy wonder if he had been a heavy smoker. "Don't let me stop you. You've got money to make and..._things _to get rid of."

Andy had been walking away, but upon the way he said "things", made him turn back around. Warrick was eyeing the box he carried that had toys written on it in permanent ink. Andy knew it was silly, but he couldn't help feeling uncomfortable with the way he was staring at the box.

"Your toys, I imagine?"

"Well, not all of them," Andy admitted. "Most of them are my sister's." He turned away from Warrick and looked down into the box. A majority of the toys that were inside belonged to Molly. But it shouldn't have been. With a look of disappointment that might have mirrored Warrick's look, Andy looked over at his sister.

Molly was moving a few boxes with their mother. For a second, Andy couldn't see her as his little sis, but as a young teen. Gone were her favorite pink barbie doll shirts, pigtails, and a plastic doll in her hand. Instead, she wore shirts of young boy bands, had make-up on her cheeks and carried around a small purse. It annoyed him to no end that Molly had allowed her friends to transform her into this. He expressed his concerns to his mother, but she had believed it was harmless. Children were growing up faster these days and more interested in being little adults. But Andy did not want that for her. She didn't want her to grow up so quickly. Afterall, he himself wasn't a little boy anymore. He was fifteen and was supposed to be ready to shift from boy to man; but Andy wasn't so sure he was ready for that.

"Ah, your sister's. Molly's."

Andy cringed at her name on his lips. "Yeah."  
"Quite the young lady. And I suppose that would make you, quite the young man. Much too old for, toys."

Andy looked into the box. The few toys he had chosen to abandon were nothing compared to the amoung Molly had donated. There was a squeaky penguin, an Rc car with controller, a strong man and a ABC speller box. The rest of the toys didn't make the cut. They were still in his room, long since abandoned, yet he had not locked them away inside his toy box.

"Yeah, I'm much too old for toys," he agreed, more with himself than Warrick.

"Well then, you wouldn't mind if I have a look at them Hmm? Maybe give them a nice home and fix them up a bit. That is what I do after all. Make toys better than they ever were before."  
Andy nodded. He knew this already, and he also knew he never sold the toys he fixed. He collected them. It was a hobby few people in the neighborhood understood. When he first met his new neighbors, he had made the mistake of sharing his love of toys. It had cost him to being the social outcast. But Warrick didn't seem to care. The only thing that mattered to him were his toys, however, Andy wasn't so sure it was healthy for a grown man.

"Ah, maybe after the other customers take a look," Andy told him. "There are little kids about who could use them."  
"Ah, of course of course," he said. "And I don't suppose one of those little kids that could use them is your little sister?"

Andy didn't want to admit any such thing to him, but he was somewhat pleased that he, of all people, understood the problem of Molly's desire to be a young woman.

"I've already tried, but she won't listen to me. She won't accept any of my old toys anyways."

"Well, perhaps she will accept this," said Warrick as he reached into his coat. From within, he pulled out a small toy wizard with a long white beard, and wearing blue robes and a cone shaped hat to match with golden stars. In one hand, he held a wand and in his outstretched hand, he held a crystal ball. "I think your sister would get a kick out of it, don't you?"

Upon his insistance, Andy took the toy and studied it in his hand.

"Go on, pull down the crystal ball and see what he does."

Andy pulled down the arm with the crystal ball, which caused the wizard to give a few flicks with his wand before rolling his eyes in a comical way. Andy glanced up at Mr. Warrick. If he believed he could make toys better than ever, he probably should have chosen a new hobby.

"Don't you think your sister will like it?"

"I don't know Mr. Warrick," Andy admitted. "She's more into barbies and...other kinds of dolls." He didn't want to say that she wouldn't be interested in a toy that was made to amuse a toddler. Molly wasn't that young. But his thoughts seem to read on his face.

"Well I think you're wrong my boy," he told him. Andy wasn't sure if he imagined it, but he could have sworn a dark look crossed his features. "I think she will adore it. Make her that _little_ kid again who will have fun with her toys for hours."

Andy studied him, then studied the toy. There wasn't much about the wizard to keep her entertained, but anything for the moment might be better than nothing.

"Well I'll ask."  
"Surprise her why don't you?"  
"Sure."

Warrick patted his shoulder. "I suppose I'll let you get back to your sale. I've kept you long enough." Andy nodded as his focus fell back to the toy again. He wasn't so positive it would help him win back the little girl that Molly still was. But maybe he could work up some way to do it. As Andy pulled the wizard's arm down again, he wondered if it would have been better just to spend his allowance and buy her the latest Mali-bu barbie.

**Ok, first chapter, setting up the story. In a way, I'm kind of planning as I go. I imagine this turning into an epic adventure. As much as I may enjoy a oneshot, I really really enjoy longer fics. And as much as I wanted to write this, lack of time gets in the way. So, my chapters may be kind of short, but hopefully fufilling. Read and review please**.

**If you've read my other Toy story fic, I did say I would be premiering a longer fic in August. Well here it is, and depending on you guys (reviews) I'll keep this adventure going. So please please let me know with tons of reviews, and I'll write more soon.**

**later!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own Toy story or any references made.**

**So, we last left off with Andy accepting that wizard toy. Hmm, maybe he shouldn't have. We'll have to see and find out won't we. Thanks for the reviews you guys! Keep sending them in. Now on to chapter 2, where the story really gets going!**

Something New

Andy moved about the room as patiently as he could with his cell phone glued to his ear. Andy wasn't one to tie up the phone, especially since the wait for the person he was calling was taking so long to answer. He called three times in a row and wondered why he even bothered, but as the rings continued on the other end, he understood the importance of it.

"Come on, come on, pick up already," he begged. "I need a final answer."

After a minute passed, there was finally a response.

"Hello? Andy?"

"Yeah, yeah it's me Jen."

"Oh, hi," she responded. "Sorry, I was washing my hair."

"No problem," Andy said when he was really thinking _Why do you feel the need to wash your hair everytime I call._ But in all honesty, he wasn't that annoyed with her. "I was just calling to, double check about the trip. It's still alright with your parents right?"  
"Yeah, is it alright with your mom?"

"So long as we're accompanied by your parents, it's fine," Andy replied as he gulped at the idea of ever being alone with Jennifer Hashe.

She was practically one of the most popular girls in school who caught a lot of the boys attention; one of them being Andy of course. Luckily for him, she wasn't a girl who thought herself worthy of football players only. She allowed Andy's friendship, which he was happy to say was slowly building.

But building into what?

Andy was nervous to decide. However, he may quickly find out when he headed out on this trip with her. Just him and Jen...and her parents, on a nice camp out. Andy was very lucky that his mom allowed him to go in the first place, especially when she promised to visit a sick friend of hers out of town. But she trusted him. He was a good kid and she felt it was alright for this to be the first time he ever spent away from home. Molly would be going with her. A nice solution that saved him from babysitting.

"That's good. I can't wait," said Jen.

Andy smiled. He could practically see her smiling as well. "M-me, either."

"So, how was the sale? Did you get rid of anything?"

"Oh, a few things. Not much." Andy did manage to get rid of his toys, but through the hands of Mr. Warrick. Apparently not many children thought his old playthings were cool enough to enjoy. It was all about video games and any other form of technology.

"Your mom and sister still leaving tonight?"

"Yeah, they're hitting the road this evening, so I'll have the house to myself."

"Only for a little while. They'll be back before we are. But it's cool your mom trust you in the house while she's away."

"It's no big deal, and it's only for tonight. I can take care of myself."

"Sure you can," she said with a laugh. Andy's smile widened.

"So, I guess I'll see you tomorrow."

"Bright an early at noon. Have your stuff packed."

"Will do."

With that, he hung up and sighed. It all seemed to go so smoothly. He turned and went to place his cell on his dresser, when his eyes caught the wizard. He'd set it on the dresser with every intention of showing Molly. But then he thought about it and realized now wouldn't have been a good time. She wasn't exactly in a pleasant mood since she was forced to travel with her mother. Andy knew what she would have preferred: sitting in a room with her friends, watching boy rock concerts on tv and having make-overs. Hopefully, spending a few days around adults would bore her to the point where she realized being grown up wasn't all it was cracked up to be. Til then, maybe he could find a way to show her that she was still a kid at heart.

"Andy, it's lunch time!"

"Be right there mom!" he called back. It was kind of late for lunch, but this would be the last meal before his mom and Molly headed out. He picked up the wizard and studied it once more. Maybe it wouldn't have been bad to introduce it to Molly now. But it was such a simple toy. How could something so simple bring back the Molly that he missed?

As if to test the possibility, Andy reached for the crystal ball. It was strange, but at that moment, he couldn't help feeling it was a risky move. Nonetheless, he pulled it down.

There was nothing to it. The wizard flicked his wand as he did the last time he pulled, but then to his surprise, he did something very unexpected. After two flicks of the wand, the wizard made the motion of doing a third wave. Andy's eyes locked onto his arm as if there was something dangerous about it. As if somehow, he was in trouble. But the wand hand came down and with it, in an instant burst, a puff of powdery smoke and glitter shot from the magical stick. Andy coughed and dropped the toy in surprise. He was covered from head to toe in the white cloud and choking on the dust.

"What the?..."

Andy didn't understand it. He hadn't done that before and Warrick didn't say a thing about the toy having this special feature. He waved his arms around, but the cloud was already subsiding. All that was left was evidence of powder and glitter on his skin and clothing. He brushed it off and stared at the toy, accusingly. Now he knew for sure Molly might not take to the wizard. What child would? Unless it was Warrick's intention to scare the living daylights out of a child or get a few angry parents on his side. Andy didn't know and wasn't so sure the special effect of the wand was a selling point.

"Weird," he said as he reached down and picked up the toy. "Didn't do much to add to your ability as a wizard. What was Warrick thinking?"

Andy didn't bother to consider the answer. He set the toy back on the dresser and headed downstairs.

As the footsteps faded away, the wizard blinked his eyes and scowled at the young man's room. Unknown to Andy, the wizard had been giving him looks of distaste, as if Andy were a filthy bug. No matter though. He had given him quite the surprise and enjoyed every second of his reaction. He sighed as he took in the room before him.

"Such a pity," he said to himself.

He shook his head as he placed his crystal ball in one of the pockets of his robes, and placed his wand in the other. It was time to get off this blasted dresser and meet the person he was intended for, since the boy didn't seem interested in sharing. _Teenagers_, he thought bitterly. How he despised it when children turned into them. For it marked the end of playtime with their supposedly inanimate friends. So few toys could ever bring that childness back. But he could. Mr. Warrick was right and Andy was wrong. He could bring back the child in Molly. He could bring back the child in anyone.

As carefully as he could, he climbed his way down to the floor. Once he made it down, he dusted off his robes as if he had aquired dust in the short time he was placed up there.

"Doesn't even have the decency to clean his room once in a while," he grumbled in an elegant manner.

"Ah, hi!"

The wizard slowly raised up and turned around. However, his expression was indifferent as if he could care less about whoever decided to sneak up on him. He cared even less as he took in the sight of the large comical looking green dinosaur. He knew dinosaurs more terrifying than what he was looking at. What stood before him, a T-rex, was a clear joke.

"How do you do," he answered lazily. He then turned away as if he hadn't been interrupted. But the silly dinosaur started to follow.

"Are you new? Did Andy purchase you, or were you a present. It's not his birthday again is it? Or maybe Christmas..."

"What are you babbling about?"

"Andy," he replied, as though it were obvious. "Why you're in Andy's room."

"Yes, I couldn't help but notice." He turned away from the dinosaur as the hidden members of the room started to reveal themselves.

"Look dear, it looks like Andy's got a new toy," said a Mrs. Potato Head.

"Hmph, that's ridiculous," said her husband as he looked him over suspiciously. "Why would Andy get a new toy when he hasn't played with us in years?"

"Point taken," answered the wizard. "Which is why I am not intended for your _Andy_, but for his little sister. Now if you'll excuse me."

"Not so fast."

The wizard turned at the sudden serious voice and took note of a cowboy doll that was making his way through the crowd. A sheriff with his hands on his hips and a frown on his face.

"Just who do you think you are?"

The wizard gave him a polite smile as he forced himself to acknowledge him as well as everyone else. Though he would normally never associate with such a raggedy bunch of misfits, he felt he had little choice. If he didn't want them to get in his way, he'd humor them.

"Easy there cowboy," said a space ranger the wizard recognized as a Buzz Lightyear. He remembered how popular the toy was, but he didn't see anything remarkable about him.

The wizard bowed politely. "No need to worry my space friend. I am Marvelous Marvelo, a great wizard capable of delighting boys and girls of all ages."

"Is that so," said the cowboy unimpressed. "Well from what I saw, you didn't seem to be delighting Andy."

"Wha-what do you mean?" he asked, suddenly caught off guard. The cowboy took a few steps forward.

"I was watching from over there," he said as he pointed to a desk by the window. It was directly across from the dresser. "I saw the whole thing."

"What do you mean Woody?" asked Slinky.

"I think he means this," said Marvelo. He pulled out his wand and gave a quick flick. Just as before, only much smaller, a clowd of white powdery smoke and glitter burst with a sudden explosion. The toys jumped in surprise.

"Whoa!" Rex cried in fright as he jumped behind Buzz for protection. Marvelo laughed it off as if it were a simple joke.

"See," he explained. "All in good fun."  
"You call that fun?" Woody asked as he dusted himself off.

"Previous owners of mine thought so, and perhaps your owner's little sister will as well." He turned away, but Woody had no intetention of letting this guy slip away. He hurried in front of him, blocking his path.

"Where are you going?"

"I am delivering myself to my intended owner. Molly is it?"

Marvelo turned to look at the group who's interest in the new guy fell away to saddness.

"Don't think you've heard this Marvey," a cowgirl answered for the group. "But Molly isn't exactly into toys anymore."

"Yeah," said a piggy bank. "She may still be little, but she's starting to act like a miniature Brittney Spears."

"I have no fears about it," Marvelo answered. "I can bring her back to the child she once was. Why that is why your dear owner purchased me."

"So," Rex started sadly. "So, he didn't buy you to play with. I thought..."  
"You thought what?" Marvelo asked as he quickly caught on. "You thought, it meant he was ready to play again?"

No one said anything. His words had struck a nerve. Even Woody dropped his boldness to feel the truth of the matter. A truth that they had to live with day to day, but would never admit out loud. That Andy was done with them and was never looking back. But Woody had to admit that truth fell away the moment he saw Andy walk through the door with the wizard in his hand. It hadn't made any sense. Andy, studying a toy just as he used to do so long ago. A look of interest crossed his face which made Woody feel a slight pang of jealousy. It was something he hadn't felt since he first laid eyes on Buzz. And Woody was forced to watch it all, slouched on his desk, practically forgotten by his owner. Never held nor touched like before.

But his arrival had created hope. Did it mean Andy was interested again? In toys? And if so, it would only be a matter of time before he was interested in his own toys again. Woody had hoped, with all the stuffing in his little body that it was so. The little boy in Andy remained as he watched him proceed to play. But then the wizard had pulled that stunt with his wand and Andy's interest shifted to disgust. Woody knew a toy had no control over how he or she was made, but he couldn't help blaming the wizard. Blaming him for possibly harming Andy and ruining any chance they would have of reconnecting with their owner. Besides that, he had caught the looks he were giving the teen and he didn't like it one bit. He had to do something. Protect Andy from this wanna be Merlin. But as it turned out, he wasn't for Andy; he was for Molly. Though Woody's connection to Molly wasn't strong, he still felt a need to take on the role he was created for. A sheriff who saw to it that nothing got out of hand. But now he wasn't so sure. Andy wanted him for Molly. To help her become the little girl she still was. But what about the little boy he could still be?

"Don't be silly," said Marvelo. "Your owner is much too old for you. Surely you realize this? Yes."

Woody gulped. He didn't want to realize it, which was why nobody talked about such things. They simply allowed themselves to lay where their owner had left them, trying to enjoy their last few days within the room before Andy shut them away forever in the toy chest. They didn't want to believe it was over. They wanted to believe Andy would catch a glimpse of them and remember the good times he shared with them. But Marvelo's words rang clear through every fiber of their being. His words capable of making them see the truth. Andy was gone.

Marvelo smiled. _Perhaps these toys aren't as stupid as they appear. _

**Uh-oh, what does Marvelo mean? Poor Andy's toys, they feel abandoned. But maybe not for long. Anyways, we're at the starting point of our adventure so please stay tuned for more. I have so much planned for one heck of an adventure. **

**And as always, keep reviewing to keep me motivated.**


	3. Chapter 3

**disclaimer: I do not own Toy story**

**uh-oh. What is Mavelo planning? Can't be good. So keep reading and keeping reviewing. Always happy to get a new review and know you're enjoying this.**

A Nice Trip into Dreamland

_'...although it remains unclear what actually caused his mental break down, but, I think it is clear Big Al's toy barn will be under new management' _a news anchor reported on the tv screen. Andy just happened to come across it as he came downstairs and entered the living room. He just managed to catch a glimpse of Al being carted away by police, shouting about how the toy's are alive. Andy shook his head. Perphaps too much time around his toy store affected his mind.

_'In other news, the disappearance of Emily Mills is still under investigation.'_ At this, Andy paid closer attention. The image of a pretty young blonde about the age of nine, with bright blue eyes was shown on the screen. _'Mr. and Mrs. Mills are still hoping for any leads that will bring their daughter home. If you have any information...'_

"They still haven't found her?" asked his mother from the kitchen.

"No," Andy sighed, as he turned off the tv and headed over for lunch. As he sat down, he couldn't help notice his mom's sudden nervousness. "Don't worry about it mom. They'll find her, I know they will."

Though they hadn't known Emily Mills personally, it still unnerved his mother to know that she was a child who lived only a couple of streets away from them. Obviously she feared that meant Molly was in danger as well. Kidnappings had sadly become the way things were, but these recent disappearances were a little odd.

"Well," his mother seemed to agree. "At least you'll be with me Molly,"

"What makes you think I'd be..." Molly started, but paused at her brother's look. "Oh, I mean, yes mom."

The last thing they needed was for her to become paranoid. He didn't want the risk of his mom turning down his trip. If anything she might start fearing something would happen to him. He could take care of himself. But it wasn't as if something bad were going to happen anyways.

The Davis ended their lunch on a good note. No worries from his mother about Andy going camping or kidnappers stocking their family. It was just happy talk. Andy hoped to tell them about all the things he hoped to do, but a string of yawns kept interrupting him. He didn't know why he was suddenly so tired. It wasn't as though he had slept in.

"Maybe it's a good thing your so sleepy," said his mom as she watched him give another great yawn. "Then I won't have to worry about you in the house alone. You can just go righ to bed."

"Ah...why do you and Jen think I'm going to wreck it or...(yawn)...something?" Andy questioned. "I'm not the kind of person that will do that."

"Well, I'll see when I return home."

"You'll still be gone for the week?" he asked.

"That's the plan. Sure you can handle yourself with Jen that long?"

At the question, Andy couldn't help but blush slightly, but he turned away before she or his sister could notice.

"I, uh, um yeah. I mean it's camping, it's no big deal. It's kind of like how Cowboy camp used to be." As soon as the words left his mouth, he couldn't help reminiscing just a bit about his time there, with his favorite cowboy doll Woody; Sitting around the campfire toasting marshmellows with Woody by his side. Hearing ghost stories and holding onto the doll's arm if he got nervous. Even playing shadow puppets with a Western flavor. All his friends at camp also enjoyed Woody, but perhaps not as much as Andy had.

But that was the past. It was over, however not as much as he thought. He never did put Woody away in the toy chest. He was still out, sitting on his desk. But that's all he did. Andy didn't touch him anymore. He didn't give him so much as a pull of the string.

Andy pushed his childhood reminders away as he helped his mom clean up. Next, he helped her and Molly load their suitcases into the car. By then it was already 6:00 p.m. Andy was fighting against the sleep the whole time. As he rounded near the stairs with another bag, Molly called to him.

"Hey Andy! What's this?"

He looked up the stairs and saw that she was holding the wizard toy. Andy set the bag down and headed up toward her. He had hoped for her to see it, but after the trick it pulled, he wasn't so sure he liked Molly to have it.

"It was just sitting here on the step. I almost tripped over it. Is it yours?"

Andy watched as she examined it, but she didn't have her old curiosity that graced her young face whenever she saw a new toy.

"Actually, it's not," he said as he took it away from her. "I just thought you might find it interesting."

She quirked an eyebrow at him as if she couldn't understand why he thought she'd be interested in such a toy.

"What does it do?" she asked as she made a grab for it, but Andy kept it out of her reach. It was the reaction he had wanted from her, except that he knew if she found out what it did, that was the end of his goal for Molly.

"Ah...nothing. It does nothing actually," he lied as he stared down at the wizard.

"Then I don't think I'm all that curious about it anyways," she decided.

Andy bit his lip. This stupid little toy of Warrick's wasn't going to help Molly. But maybe talking to her would.

"Wait, Molly," Andy called before she could leave. "Look, I know right now it's important for you to act like a lady. I mean that's fine and all for kids to act grown up, but only to a certain point."  
"What do you mean?"  
"I mean you're growing up way too fast. Did you even notice how many toys you chucked away at the sale? You're only nine years old. You still have time to be a kid and you have plenty more of it to be grown-up."

"Andy, don't-"  
"I don't want to sound like mom, but, I just don't want to see you lose your childhood." He turned away as his thoughts shifted to the old days where he was a care-free kid. "It goes by so fast and before you know it, it's gone." He looked back around to see Molly gazing at him, confused. He had never spoken to her like this before.

"Well even if you do think I sound like mom, will you think about it?"

"I guess. Okay," she agreed.

"Good. Now let's get you and mom outta here." Molly nodded and Andy headed back into his room to place the wizard back on the dresser. It was going straight back to Warrick when he got back from the trip.

Once they were done, they would be hitting the road and Andy would enjoy the house for himself; even if it was only for one night.

"You got your stuff all packed and ready?" his mom asked as Andy heaved a heavy bag into the back of the van.

"Yeah, all set. You (yawn)?"

"Looks like we're ready to go," she told him. She paused as Andy seemed ready to nod off. "And...it looks like you are ready for bed."

"Ah mom. I don't know what it is, but all of a sudden I'm so tired."

"Well, I guess it's just as well. I mean you have to get up in time to meet with Jen."

"Yeah."

And with a couple of hugs and kisses, and warnings to call her as soon as he got settled, his mom and sister got into the van. Andy stood ready to see them off, which he couldn't wait for because it was a struggle for him to keep his eyes open.

"Now, be sure you lock up the house good before you leave."

"Yes mother."  
"Make sure everything is turned off, don't leave anything on the stove or anything out to spoil."

"Absolutely," he sighed as his lids started to droop.

His mom smiled at him and caressed his cheek. "Oh and hon?"

"Y-yeah?"

"Get some sleep."  
"I will. See you later mom. See yah Molly,...and remember what I said."

"I will."  
"What did you say?" asked their mother curiously.  
"Oh nothing, nothing," Andy covered.

He waved and watched as their van turned the corner and disappeared out of sight. Andy sighed. He was looking forward to staying up, much longer than 6:30, but it didn't look like it was going to happen. He was just too exhausted. He shook his head as if he could drive the sleepiness away, then headed inside. He tried to snack on a banana in hopes that it would rouse him, but he could barely muster the energy to chew. It was strange. He had never felt this tired before and he hadn't even done much to get that way. But it was more than a feeling of energy draining him. In some strange way, he felt restricted, almost in a claustropobic way. Not wanting to risk dropping to the floor when he had a nice comfortable bed upstairs, he slowly made his way back up.

For a few minutes, all he did was stare at it, still annoyed that he was this tired. Nonetheless, he plopped himself upon it and surrendered the fight to keep his eyes open. He hadn't even bothered to change out of his clothes. But it didn't matter. It was just for the night. Tomorrow he'd be up, bright and early and ready for a great adventure.

**Like I said, this chapter seems kinda short, but I wanted it to end with Andy sleeping in bed. What had made him so sleepy? Was it the wizard's glitter and powder? You'll just have to keep reading to find out.**

**What you've all been waiting for will come with the next chapter! So keep letting me know how you're enjoying the story thus far and I'll be updating soon.**


	4. Chapter 4

**disclaimer: I don't own Toy Story or any references to movies or shows made.**

**awesome guys on the reviews! I love reading a new review on how much you're enjoying the story and what you like about the chapter. It really keeps me motivated on writing this. Okay, the moment you've been waiting for, the real turning point. I was glad when I finally got onto writing this part. Looks like Andy's in for one heck of an adventure!**

One Small Problem

Andy sighed and rolled over as he felt himself waking to the day he'd been waiting for. He stretched his arms and rubbed the sleep from his eyes. He hadn't woken once during the night from going to bed so early, but it turned out it did him some good. He was no longer as tired as he had been yesterday. In fact, he felt like he had plenty of energy to take on this camping trip for more than just a week. Andy smiled. In no time, it would just be him and Jen, and her parents of course.

But as Andy started to raise himself up, he noticed something, odd. The bed frame at the end of his bed seemed larger than usual. Andy blinked and raised himself up further. Where his feet usually raised past it, the frame rose up high above them.

"What?" he started to question, but stopped as he noticed the same illusion was happening to the whole room. He didn't know what it was, but the space of everything looked bigger, much bigger than he was. Andy stared, wide-eyed, then turned to the clock on his night stand. It was much larger than an ordinary clock and showing 9:00 a.m. Andy jumped up even further in a slight panic. He made the quick attempt to rub the craziness from his eyes. There was no way. There was no way he was seeing this. Like the room had somehow expanded or he had somehow shrunk.

"Okay Andy, obviously you're just a little too excited about the trip...and Jen. But, there's no way you're seeing this." He scrunched his eyes closed and focused hard on wishing away whatever kind of dream he was having.

"Okay,...when I open my eyes, everything will be, back, to it's regular, size."

He counted to three and slowly opened an eye. But nothing had changed. Everything still seemed so, _huge_. He raised his hands in front of his face. In comparison with the view before him, they looked about as small as a doll's hands. There was no doubt about it now. Andy had somehow shrunk during the night.

He gasped in surprise and fell back over the large rumbled bed covers. How could this have happened? Andy pulled his legs up to him and tried to think, but he was drawing a blank. It was all a blur. All he could recall was being so mysteriously tired.

"What happened to me? Come on think Andy?" he told himself. But it was no use. He was simply too disturbed to think about everything that happened yesterday. He lay on his bed and gazed up at the ceiling.

"How is this even, possible?"

He didn't know and he wasn't so sure he could just sit here and wait for himself to grow up again. He had to find an answer. But what he was looking for, he didn't know. Andy raised himself up on shaky legs and slowly made his way to the edge of the bed. He caustiously peaked over and whistled. It looked like a long way down. No matter. He had learned a little about climbing. At least he did from tv. He'd paid a lot more attention to it lately since this camping trip came around; just in case. Andy turned and laid flat on the bed. And using the rumbled cover as though it were a thick rope, he slowly started to climb down it. Luckily it wasn't a hard as he imagined, and if he wasn't so freaked out about what had happened to him, he might have found it enjoyable.

He hit the floor and became very still as his gaze moved upward about the room. If there was any doubt to his shrinkage, it was completely gone now. He had definately gone down. The room was so big and a bit overwhelming. Andy sighed and tried to take it all in. Suddenly he was wishing he hadn't dropped down from the bed.

_'Are my eyes decieving me or has his growth stunted several inches?'_

_' Will you be quiet?'_

_'Sssshhh!'_

Andy turned at the sudden sound of whispering. "Who said that? Hello?" he called softly. He took a few steps forward to where he heard the voices. "Is anyone, there?" But there was no one. How could there be? The only beings in the room were a couple of toys pushed out of sight. No. He had imagined it. But somehow he thought it unlikely. What if the one who was responsible were in the room, possibly the same size as he was. That feeling alone started to scare him and he was suddenly wishing he was up high again, like up on the bed.

Andy started to journey the wide space of the floor, looking around his room as if he'd never seen it before. The world stretched out around him, making him feel like an Alice in Wonderland. During his trip, he took in the look of his old board games, and toys. He hadn't paid much attention to them since he was 13, but now it was different. His old piggy bank looked large enough to carry the coins of an entire bank. His old dinosaur may have been as large as the ones that chased people in Jurassic Park; luckily for him it was only a toy. His Mrs. and Mr. Potato heads appeared to be as large as he was. He studied them for a minute before turning to his desk table. Maybe he wasn't the only one who experienced this shrinkage? Maybe it was some kind of phenomenon. There was one way he could find out.

Andy moved over to the chair, and after giving it a careful look over, he proceeded to climb it. It was like a poor jungle gym, as he climbed up the bar across the bottom of the chair and reached up to the seat. He pulled himself up with some effort, then sat down in the chair's large seat, panting. If he realized how quickly he tired over something so physical, he didn't think he would have agreed to this trip.

_'Is it me or is Andy...different'_

_'Keep your lizard lips shut'_

Andy stood upon hearing the voices again. It was unnerving. "Hello?" he called again as he studied the room. But no one was there. Either he was experiencing a side-effect with his new size, or there really was someone out there. Andy shuddered. He couldn't shake the feeling that he was being watched. He turned away before the feeling could stop him completey. Luckily the chair was close to the desk. Andy grabbed on the edge and pulled himself up. There was nothing much up here except a few books stacked in a corner, paper and a few pencils laying about, his lamp and...a once very special cowboy propped next to it. Andy walked over to the now enlarged sheriff and stared at it. He hadn't looked at Sheriff Woody in ages, at least not the way he was looking at him now. The smile still remained on his rosy cheeks as his eyes stared right through him. Andy couldn't help taking the time to remember the good old days, where he believed the doll the greatest and most loyal friend in the world. He could do anything and always managed to save the day.

"Wish you could save the day now Woody," Andy wished quietly. "Starting with me."

He stepped past him and moved over to the window. Nothing outside seemed different. A couple of people walked by, but they weren't shorter than usual. No. It was only happening to him!

No!

It was too much for him to take. If it was not happening to anyone else, if it was just him and him alone, how was he going to get back to normal? What was Jen going to do when she found out? Not to mention his mom?

As if discovering his situation for the first time, Andy started to panic. His breath caught in his throat as he hurriedly stepped away. But he wasn't looking behind him and his feet caught on a giant pencil. It rolled and Andy slipped. He made a turn to catch himself but he was too close to the end of the desk. The akward balancing act caused him to slip off the edge. But he was able to grab on at the last second. He was no where near the chair, so letting go and landing safely was out. He was losing his grip. If he didn't pull himself back up, he would fall and possibly break his neck.

Andy could only stare in horror as his fingers started to slide. He could die this way and he hadn't even learned the meaning of his transformation. He wished if there really was someone lurking around in the room below, he'd come to his aide.

His hand slipped, and a second later so did the other. But for some reason, Andy failed to feel the fear of falling. Something had saved him. Something had grabbed onto his hand from above. Andy gasped and jerked his head up.

A hand. A plastic hand had grabbed onto his. He had a tight enough grip on Andy's weak hand. As whoever it was started to pull him up, Andy's head started to whirl. There was no one up here; no one, except Woody. But as the arm came into view, it was clear.

Andy stumble forward as he was pulled safely back onto the desk. But Andy didn't notice in the least. He was only focused on starring, wide-eyed at his savior. His heart was pounding and he wasn't even breathing.

His savior took a few nervous steps back and gave an embarassed kind of smile.

"Ah...howdy partner."

.

.

.

Andy gasped. "W-Woody?"

**Yay! They meet for the first time and in such a dramatic way! I got to say Woody saving Andy that way was one of my favorite scenes to write. It'll probably be one of my top favorite scenes of this story (and I can say that because I know what's coming, lol). **

**Oooh, what'll Woody do now that he's shown himself? And in case you didn't realize, those voices belonged to Hamm, Potato head and Rex. We're on quite a start, how will Andy react to Woody and will the other toys be willing to reveal themselves?**

**The only way you'll know is if you keep reading and keep reviewing. Love to know your **_**reaction **_**to this chapter!**

**Later.**


	5. Chapter 5

**disclaimer: I don't own Toy Story or any references made to movies or shows**

**I'm pleased you really enjoyed the last chapter. I enjoyed it too. I especially enjoyed reading your reviews, so you know what to do about that.**

**Anyways, Andy's shrunk, so now what's he gonna do? Woody just revealed himself (**_**gasp!) **_**But he had to right? What will the other toys think about that? **

**Oh an in case you're wondering, I have Andy slightly taller than Buzz, but still shorter than Woody. **

Re-Introductions

No. It couldn't be. Woody was not standing there talking to him, or so Andy kept thinking. But it couldn't be denied. There was his old cowboy doll standing nervously before him, twiddling his fingers as if he was a kid getting caught for doing something bad. His face worked furiously as he seemed to be working out the next best thing to say to his owner. But Andy said it first, in a series of small expected words.

"What did...how...you..." he stuttered, but he couldn't decide what to ask first. The simplest question came to mind. "You can...talk?"

Woody bit his lips and mumbled as his eyes jumped all over the room, avoiding Andy's stare. After a minute he sighed.

"Well...if you mean more than through my pull string, then yeah."

Andy jumped and started stepping away. "Whoa, whoa whoa! This is, this is not happening. _This _is not happening right now, I am not talking to a doll!" He kept stepping back, not realizing he was nearing the edge of the desk again.

"Whoa there cowboy! You don't want a repeat of what just happened do you?" Woody asked as he came forward. Andy stopped in time when he saw what was about to happen again. But his shocked face remained as he turned back to Woody.  
"But you talk! You're alive...you're...Woody."

Andy forced his shakey legs to side step away from his one time favorite toy and to a safer spot on the desk.

Woody smiled softly and flicked his hat. "I don't know about the _alive_ part, like animals and people, but everything else is true and it's not just me."

Andy couldn't help giving a quiet gasp as he turned away to think. All this time, his toys had been, like this? Capable of walking and talking on their own? _No. No. No._

He tried pinching himself several times, and glancing back at Woody.

"This..is..not...not..for..real. All of it..is..a..dream," he muttered to himself after each set of pinches. But nothing had changed. He was still small and Woody was still there standing on his own, looking worried. He wasn't dreaming! It was real! Andy didn't understand it, but he was starting to feel very uncomfortable with the idea. It must have shown on his face as Woody started to step closer.

"I don't mean to scare you Andy," he told him.

Andy looked up. He could read it on the doll's face that he could trust him. That he wasn't like some psycopathic Chucky doll come to life to kill him. The soft look of his old ragdoll buddy was enough to calm him some.

"But, if you've always been this way, how come, you never said anything before?"

At this, Woody scratched his neck nervously and bit his lip. He gave a shaky laugh before addressing the question. "Ah, because we can't. It's not something we're suppose to do. But it's not the first time I've done it. And believe me, I'm glad you don't have that kid's reaction," he answered after glancing down at Andy's red pinched arm.

"What kid?"

"Nevermind. It's a long story."

"You did say you weren't the only one that was like this right?" Andy asked as he stepped forward.

"I did," said Woody, smiling that his owner wasn't running around screaming his head off.

He walked away from Andy and over to the edge of the desk.

"Come on out everybody!" he called out to a supposedly empty room. Andy shook out of his daze and came forward. He looked down, but the room was quiet. Woody gave a nervous laugh. "They're just a little...shy. They probably wouldn't agree with me talking to you like this, but I couldn't just let you fall could I?"

Andy gaped.

"Hey come on fellas! It's alright!"

Out of the corner of his eye, Andy saw movement.

"Are you sure?" a voice called back up to Woody. It was one of the whispering voices Andy had heard.

"Yeah yeah trust me. It's alright."

Slowly the room started to come alive as his plastic playthings started coming together. Andy was amazed, scared, but amazed. It was his imagination come true and Andy had to double check he wasn't seeing things.

"This is for real," he said as if he suddenly realized it.

Woody smiled encouragenly at his comrades, then hopped down to the chair. "Come on Andy. Time to meet some old friends."

Andy hesitated before following Woody down the chair and onto the floor, where his toys gathered around them. They were all just as nervous as he was. Andy was surprised they didn't run; he partially felt like running himself. They quietly whispered to one another and gave him cautious looks. _Maybe, _Andy thought _They're wanting to get back at me for playtime. _Woody cleared his throat and there was silence, which he didn't seem to expect.

"Uh, heh heh. I know this is a little unexpected, and it's not in our nature to fraternize with humans, but, this is Andy."

All eyes focused on Andy as he was given the spotlight. He gave a small wave and a quiet "Hello."

But no one said hello back. They just stared. It was like the first day of school where a teacher introduces you to a new class. Woody gulped. He felt prepared but he really didn't know what to say or how to go about this.

"Well, if you haven't noticed, I had a very good reason for..."

"What exactly is going on here?" asked Andy's Mr. Potatoe Head as he looked accusingly at Woody.

"Well, that's kind of what we," he paused and glanced at Andy. "have to find out."

The floor was his again as the toys' focus fell on him, but Andy didn't know what to say either. They were all still so akward and nervouse about the whole thing. His toy dinosaur was so much so that he was shaking and twiddling his claws. Andy supposed the best thing to do to ease the tension was to explain the situation, as best he knew how. He looked away from them as he started to put the events in order in his mind.

"I don't, know exactly what's going on. All I know is I was prepared to go on a camping trip. The first real time I've ever had away from home. And just as things started going my way all of a sudden I wake up and find myself, like this!" He paused and sighed as the frustration he'd been holding was released some. "I don't know how and I don't know why, but I've gotta find some way to get back to normal."

When he finished his short speech, the toys looked at one another. Then out of all of them, his cowgirl doll stepped forward. She seemed uncertain about this and so did Andy. Then to his great surprise she bent over and gave an excited "YYEEE-HHAAAH!"

"Well if it isn't a real honor to meet my owner face to face after all these years of playtime," she cried as she shook his hand vigorously.

"Heh, heh, nice to meet you too," Andy said in a frightened voice. If he had known she was that full of energy, he would have given her bigger roles to play during play scenes.

"My names' Jessie by the way, not Jane, not that I minded you calling me that all these years. But since we're on a first name bases, you don't mind if I call you Andy do you?"

"That's my name right?"  
"Oh and by the way, this here's bullseye," Jessie introduced as the horse came forward. His shyness was gone as he licked his face like an excited puppy. Her burst of excitement at being able to speak to Andy loosened the tension the other toys were feeling as they looked at the situation in a more positive light. Jessie stepped back and his Slinky dog stepped forward, along with his piggy bank.

"I'm Slinky and this is Hamm. Really appreciate you not bending me out of shape," said Slink.

"Ah, your welcome?"  
"And I appreciate you not holding back on the tips. It's been a real pleasure to carry your change. Not that I'm greedy."

Next were his potato heads.

"Oh dear, he's much cuter up close," said Mrs. Potato Head to her husband. "Hello dear. If it wasn't for you, I never would have met my husband."

"Hmph, I knew there was someone to blame," said Mr. Potato Head jokingly. "And the same could go for making me the bad guy so often."

"Potato Head," warned the porcelain Bo Peep. "Don't mind him."

"Yeah," said Hamm. "Sometimes his head's a little fried.

"Hey!"

Next up came his dinosaur, shaky with either fear or excitement. Andy couldn't tell. He gave a small gasp as he approached him and reached out a clawed hand for his own. Then he fell into an akward bow.

"Oh Andy, Andy, it's so nice to meet you like this. And I just want to say, after all these years I'm delighted you didn't get a scarier dinosaur. I didn't think I could take that kind of competition."

"Ah, sure," Andy answered uncertainly. It was still all too much. The last thing he expected, from talking toys, was their gratitude. They were proud, honored to meet him, but he wasn't anyone special. Just some ordinary kid. _An ordinary kid wrapped up in one crazy delusion_.

Slink chuckled. "Rex isn't one for frightening. Though he tries."

"And I think I'm getting the hang of it," said Rex.

Andy nodded, though he had no real clue what they were talking about. Then, the last toy that had ever compared to his number one pal stepped forward with his hand extended.

"Buzz Lightyear of Star Command, at your service," he said, smiling. "Greetings Andy."

Andy stared, then took his hand and shook it slowly. The feelings he had when he first revealed Buzz on his birthday resurfaced. It was one thing to have him as a toy, but it was a completely different thing to be talking to him like this; face to face. The feeling of being awestruck passed and Andy nodded.

"Greetings to you, space ranger."

He smiled and nodded. All the tension seemed to have evaporated as the rest of his toys, small and medium sized came up to say hello. A group of his army men saluted him, a few of his action figure heroes high fived him and his three little aliens told him they were "Eternally grateful" for allowing them to be his toys. Once introductions were complete, Woody addressed the crowd again.

"Okay guys, we all got to meet Andy, again, but now I think it's time to figure out what really is going on here."

"Are you sure there isn't something you forgot?" asked Bo.

"A small detail that you may have neglected?" asked his army man Sarge.

Andy bit his lip and thought hard. "Well," he admitted. "The only thing I can think of is, oh will you listen to me, I'm talking to a bunch of toys!" Yes. It really was too much.

"I thought we moved passed that, uh problem," said Hamm.

"Well can you blame me," Andy asked as he stepped away from them and sat on a couple of A B C blocks. He hid his face in his hands and massaged his temples. First he shrunk and now this. It may have been seen as a child's dream, but it was his nightmare. How was he going to get out of it? Then he felt the prescence of a body sit next to him.

"I know this is difficult and, scary. It's scary for us too," said Woody. "But, it's like what happened to you on the desk. I wouldn't let you fall. You're our best friend. We don't want to hurt you, we want to help you; so there's no reason to be scared."

Andy raised his head and looked at him. His old pal that never steered him wrong. Was he the same now that he was talking on his own? Afterall it was Andy who put the character in his toys. He was the one who decided who was trustworthy and who was the villian. But Woody appeared to embody those imaginative thoughts all on his own.

"I... I get that, but I just need a little, time."  
"Sure," Woody agreed. " I understand. I mean, after all, we are just a bunch of toys." Woody smiled as Andy's shock started to go down. Andy sighed and exhaled a breath he had been holding. But then Woody's face became serious. "And speaking of toys." He stood and looked around. "I think there's one toy you haven't met yet. The toy that could be responsible for this whole situation."

"What toy," Andy started. Then it was all coming back. The only strange thing that happened yesterday. The strange thing that Andy appearantly thought was such a minor concern that he had forgotten about it completely. But now he remembered. "The wizard!"

Woody nodded.

"Are you still on about that magician act of his?" asked Mr. Potato Head.

"It's the only thing that makes sense," said Woody. "I saw that wand act of his Andy and I'm sure that has something to do with, you're being like...like this."

"But why would a toy do something like that?" asked Jessie, frightened of the idea of a toy hurting a human.

"Let's ask him and find out," said Buzz.

The toys turned to the last place Andy had left Marvelo. They looked up and gasped. It was empty.

"No," said Andy as he came forward. "I left him on the dresser. Where did he go?"

The toys looked among themselves. "Search the room! Leave no board game or pillow unturned" Woody ordered and they instantly followed the command. "Don't worry Andy, we'll find him and we'll get you back to normal."  
"Woody. You said it wasn't normal for toys to talk to humans, but what about moving about if the human is around."

"That could be a possibility," said Woody, frowning. "If he was willing to go this far and shrink you. I tried to keep my eyes on him, but... I"

"What?" Andy asked, concerned.

"Woody, there's no sign of him," said Slinky.

"We looked everywhere!" shouted Rex.

The room was in a slight disaray after the toys went about their search. And they quickly realized the wizard wasn't in the room. The wizard toy was gone.

**Uh-oh! Where did that blasted wizard get to? Perhaps in another room? They'd better watch out! I guess now that all the toys have revealed themselves I can tell you I had a completely different idea for this and the previous scene. **

**Originally I had Andy explore the house in his small size while the toys followed behind him, hidden in the shadows. Andy was still going to end up in danger on a high place, (like the kitchen table) and either Woody or all the toys were going to save him, after debating whether or not to reveal their secret.**

**I'm glad I did it this way though; Woody was the first to reveal himself and the other toys were scared of doing that. Also, I didn't want Andy ready to brave the house alone. He doesn't quite have a handle on his small size, so hopefully the toys can help him with that.**

**Keep reading and reviewing and I'll update real soon!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: I don't own Toy Story or any references of tv shows, movies, books etc.**

**Okay guys, here's the next chapter. Still loving your reviews. That wizard is horrible isn't he? Well I guess Andy and the others will just have to find him.**

Difficult Choice

"Woody, where do you think he's gone?" asked Bo.

Woody bit his lip in thought. "Well, if he's not in here, he must be in.."

"Molly's room," Andy finished.

"To Molly's room!" Buzz ordered. The toys grouped behind Buzz and marched out for his sister's room. Andy watched uncertainly. There was a small amount of hope that the wizard hadn't gone that far. That he had only walked into Molly's room. And if that was the case, all he had to do was force him to change him back and be done with this nightmare.

"Everyone's out of the house right? Mom and Molly?" Woody asked, shaking Andy out of his thoughts.

"Yeah. They left last night."

"Good, let's go."

Andy fell behind the group along with Woody. It was still so bizarre. Following behind his group of toys, like this. But it would all be over soon. When they reached Molly's room, the toys seemed to hesitate. Andy glanced around the pink room he had been in several times. But it was different now that it was so big to him.

"What's the matter?" he asked as he noticed his toys' reaction.

"It's Molly's room," said Slink. "We haven't been here before. Well, most of us haven't."

"Well if you're shy about meeting other toys, you don't have to worry about that. Molly's gotten rid of most of them."

At this they gasped and exchanged frightened looks. But the news seemed to go over Andy's head.

"We know dear," said Bo as she walked up to him. "But it's not the kind of thing we like to think about."

"Huh? Wha, I mean I'm sure they all went to good homes if that's what you're worried about."

Bo patted his shoulder and nodded. Though Andy was sure he still missed something. "Of course," she said quietly. "But I'm sure they didn't all go together."

Andy thought about this as the toys spread out to search the room. He followed along, hoping to catch a glimspe of the wizard.

Woody couldn't help it as his eyes followed Andy. He had heard what he said about the toys that were given away, and he'd heard how he said it. Like it was no big deal. Then he heard his answer to Bo. All in all it showed Woody that he didn't understand. How could he? After all these years, his toys were nothing but lifeless playthings to him. If they were thrown out it was no big deal. But since Andy discovered their ability to be more than still, he hoped Andy would have more of an appreciation for them, least they find themselves thrown out. But it was early still. Maybe Andy would come to understand how a toy felt about such things. He hoped so, for all their sakes.

Twenty minutes of the search proved to be a disappointment, especially since the few toys Molly had didn't help. They stayed frozen, fearful of being alive in the front of the human. In the end they realized the wizard he learned was Marvelo wasn't here. He was gone. And if he wasn't in Andy's room or in Molly's room, then where else could he be? Andy didn't know. He felt like all his hopes were washed away.

"That's it then," Andy decided. "He's no where."  
"He can't be no where," Woody reasoned. "He's got to be somewhere."  
"Yeah. Maybe he's in another room," offered Rex.

"Like the livingroom or your mom's room," said Slinky.

"Or maybe he's.."

"With Warrick," Andy said suddenly, interrupting Hamm.

"Warrick?" questioned Buzz, along with several of the other toys.

They exchanged caustious looks as they considered what this meant.

"Ah Andy," said Woody as he walked up to him nervously. "Wasn't Warrick the neighbor you didn't like?"

Andy frowned. "How do you know that?"

"We have ears don't we?" asked Mr. Potato Head as he pulled his own off and waved them.

"You used to tell mom your feelings about that guy. I think the only reason we paid much attention to what you said about him was because he fixed toys," said Woody.

So, not only were the toys always alive, they were always listening. At this Andy felt his privacy was invaded some. They could take in anything he said or did and make judgement on him. But it didn't feel that way.

"Well, I just thought the guy was kind of strange. Hiding himself away in his house and giving kids odd looks." He paused and turned away from them before continuing. "Also, I thought it was kind of strange for a grown man to have all those toys and, not give them...up."

He was starting to realize the toys didn't exactly like talk of being given away, but he wanted to be honest. The toys looked at each other again, then Buzz came to him.

"That's understandable Andy. In a cheery neighborhood like this, who wouldn't suspect a man hidden in the shadows."

"Exactly," said Andy, pleased that his honesty hadn't upset them.

"But why would you get a toy from a guy like that?" asked a super-hero action figure.

"You're not that cheap, I would know," said Hamm as he shook his belly.

"No," Andy started. "I, I was thinking of Molly, and I guess everything else coming up. He was talking and offered it to me, I thought of it as a way to get Molly to be a kid again. Of course I would have gotten something better, but.."

"Well, I think the destination is clear," Buzz decided.

And though it sounded simple coming from his mouth, it was another thing to do it; to journey all the way to Warrick's. It seemed impossible and yet his only chance. But who was to say Marvelo actually returned to his owner? Perhaps he was at another kid's house shrinking him as they spoke. But at the moment, there was no other destination in mind. Even if the wizard wasn't there, Warrick was. And though Andy wasn't keen on the idea of recieving help from him, he was his only other option.

The sound of a car pulling up distracted any drastic descisons.

"Was that a car?" Andy asked as he suddenly went pale. There was a door slam. It was definately a car and he had a feeling it was parked right in front of his house. Jennifer! He had forgotten all about her. What was he going to do? He couldn't let her see him like this...or could he?

"It's her, it must be."  
"Who?" asked Jessie.

"Jen." He turned and hurried out of the room. Then he paused in front of the staircase below. It was a giant climb down that would beat any hike down a mountain.

"Andy where are you going?" Woody asked as he and the rest of his toys caught up to him.

"It's Jen. She's here for me," he explained. "Maybe, maybe she can help me."

He moved to the edge and hopped down to the next step. He continued the process until he picked up a pretty good pace. But Woody's long legs were quick enough to catch up and get in front of him.  
"Hold on Andy. Let's think about this for a minute."

"There's nothing to think about," Andy started. There were several knocks on the door, followed by Jen's voice.

"Andy! Are you up? You'd better be!"

"JEN!" Andy yelled as loud as he could, but she didn't respond. He made to step down again, but Woody cut him off.

"Wait a minute Andy. Now I know you're excited and all, but you're not thinking this through. Do you really think Jen can help you, or would be willing to?"

"What's that suppose to mean?" he asked, not liking Woody's distrust in his friend.

"I think he's assuming she'd go into shock at the sight of your minature form," answered Buzz as he started coming down the stairs.

"I won't know until I open that door. Jen doesn't have a key."

"And how do you propose we do that?" asked Woody as if he were daring Andy to come up with a sensible answer. Andy paused. He hadn't thought of that. He was still thinking of himself as big. He needed to think small, but it was his first day. He thought maybe if the toys could stack up and make a pyramid, he could climb up and reach the knob. He was about to suggest it when..

"Andy! If you're not here by the time I count to three, we're leaving! Andy!" She pounded on the door. It was then he took notice of the dog door Buster used. It was locked since Buster was being taken care of at a friend's house. But he could unlatch it and fit through. Then provided Jen wouldn't faint dead away, she'd take him to Warrick's and demand his toy change him back. It would be so much quicker. Then maybe there'd still be time to go on the trip.

"Andy, this is your last chance. One..."

"I'm going through the dog door," Andy answered as he made to jump down step by step.

"Two..."

Just a few more to go. Andy concentrated on getting there while ignoring Woody's calls.

"Three! Alright Andy, I'm leaving."

"No!" He jumped the last couple of steps, then hit the floor. He hurried across the floor to the door and fumbled with the latch.

"Andy, if she wouldn't even wait for you, I'm not so sure she will..."

But Woody was cut off as Andy had opened the door and peeked his head through. Jen was walking back to the car where her parents waited. Even if he ran, he doubted he would make it in time. Or maybe it was as Woody said. Either way, it no longer seemed like a good idea for her to catch him this way. For some reason, his feelings about Jen, at the moment she demanded him to come out, had changed. He watched her as she stepped into the back seat. But the car didn't take off. Jen was reaching for her phone. She would be calling him.

Andy turned and gazed up the stairs. He was even more tired thinking about going all the way up after coming all the way down. Nonetheless, he turned and made to go back up, past the toys that had made it down.

"Now where are you going?" asked Woody.

"I'm going back to my room. To answer my phone. Maybe, if I expain..." He paused as he started making the akward climb up. "She'll, she'll come back."

"But we don't know if Warrick's really is the answer," said Jessie.

"What else could it be?" asked Andy.

He continued on. About halfway up, he could hear the faint sound of his cell phone ringing. Any second Jen would give up. She could give up on him forever if Warrick's really wasn't the answer. There was no way Jen would want to be seen with the shrimp he had become. Andy shook his head. _What am I thinking?_ he wondered to himself. _There's no way anyone would want to be seen with me like this. Least they're ready to win fame off me for being the smallest human in the world. _

At last he made it to his room. The phone had long stopped ringing. It didn't stop Andy. He climbed up onto the bed using the covers, then stepped onto his pillows and jumped onto his nightstand. He was relieved he hadn't left his phone in the pocket of his jeans. He quickly opened it and called back her number. He hoped she hadn't given up on him so much so that she wouldn't answer.

"Andy."  
"Oh, Jen, I'm glad you-"

"Are you still asleep? I told you to be ready," she growled.  
"Yeah I know, but you said to be ready at noon. It's only-"

"Save your excuses alright. You already cost us the time it took to drive over here and now you're not even ready?"

Andy paused and stared at the phone. By now his toys had reached the top and were coming into the room. No longer was his conversation private.

"Phew, I can't help wishing I was a few coins lighter," said Hamm. "Climbing on a full stomach does not do me-"

"Ssshh!" Woody interrupted; his eyes were focused on Andy's call.

"I am...or I mean, I was, but.." The hope he'd been feeling that Jen could fufill was fading away. He was seeing, or rather hearing a side of Jen he didn't like. There had been rumors about it at school. Rumors from other girls and even a few guys, that Jen could be quite, impossible. She could be stubborn, demanding, and was only concerned about the things and people that looked good next to her. Andy hadn't known Jen that long. Not since he'd started recieving attention for school awards and transforming into a student to be known on campus. Before that, he'd been invisible to her, admiring her from afar and ignoring what some people had to say about her. But this was the first time he was experiencing those rumors. He didn't want it to be true, but it looked like it was.

"But what?" she demanded. He could hear her parent's trying to calm her down, but she wasn't hearing it.

"I," he started. There was no way she was going to listen to him now. That ship had sailed. He sighed. "I'm sorry Jen, but I'm not going."

"What!"

"I'm not going. I'm feeling a little, down today, so."  
"And you couldn't have told me this sooner?"

"How much sooner?" Andy asked, becoming annoyed.

"Oh I don't know. You could have woken up early and called. Save my parents the trip over to your little, neighborhood."  
"Well, I'm sorry," he growled back, not liking the way she said neighborhood.

"Hmmph, I bet Thomas Wilkers won't be when I ask him to come." And with that she clicked off. Andy was left staring at the phone. He felt like he had talked to a completely different person. Down below, the toys shifted uncomfortably. Woody stepped forward, his gaze full of concern as he stared up at Andy.

"I'm sorry Andy," he offered.

Andy let go of a breath and jumped back over to his pillow. "No, I'm sorry. Guess I should have known. But it's not like I won't get another chance to go on a camping trip. I'm sure I would." He walked to the edge of the bed and used the covers to guide himself down. "Just, not with her."

"It was probably for the best," said Buzz.

"Well, maybe. Right now, we need to decide if going to Warrick's is the best choice, because we don't have a lot of time here," Andy told them.

"What do you mean?" asked Rex.

"I mean the next person that'll try and come through that door will be mom and Molly, in a week, and if I'm not back to myself by then, well you'll be seeing a lot more of me in this room. She'll never let me out of her sight again."

"Andy's right," Buzz agreed. "We have to organize a plan if we want to restore Andy back to normal. Let's move out!"

Andy watched as his last resort for help formed up and headed out the room again. They were all he had to rely on now, and he wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not. They were made of plastic and cloth-they weren't real, and Jen was. But to realize that someone like Jen, who'm he'd come to know as a friend would turn on him, saddened him. A hand fell onto his shoulder and knocked him out of his thoughts.

"Hey partner, you okay?"

"Yeah Woody," Andy lied. "I'm alright." And he walked away before Woody could take any further notice.

No. He wasn't alright. His friend and first possible crush would not be there for him, and he hadn't expected how much it could hurt. How much it made him feel, alone.

**Aww, oh Andy, you're not alone, you've got your toys. A first heart break. A taste of what can happen in the real world for a teen. That Jen, she's such a...you know. At first I thought Jen would be understanding and Andy would simply cancel the trip (giving an excuse of being sick) and go off with his toys. But Andy's still in shock of his toys being alive, and a bit distrusting of them (not believing they can help him), so he was willing to tell Jen the truth and have her help him. But if he was going to rely on his toys, Jen had to blow him off and force Andy to look to them. Jen doesn't have a major role in the story anyways, other than being a stuck up popular girl.**

**So the wizard wasn't in either room. Perhaps he is with Warrick? If so, that would be quite the trip. And like previous Toy story movies, there's a time limit. Andy has to get back to regular size in a week before mom gets home! Hopefully he'll pull it off.**

**We've got a ways to go so keep telling me how your'e enjoying the story! I love reading them. **


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: I still don't own Toy story**

**Glad you're still reading and reviewing. I love hearing how you're enjoying the fic. Well here's the next chapter. We're on our way to another great adventure, soon.**

Taking Chance

Just outside the room, the toys had gathered together around Buzz. Andy and Woody followed behind as Buzz set the idea in motion.

"Alright, we're pretty sure Marvelo's no where in the house. So the next best guess is what Andy said," Buzz announced with a quick glance at Andy. Andy only watched, numb to the whole situation now. Depression was quickly setting in with the way Jennifer Hashe dumped him. _How could she do that to me? We were getting along just fine. _It didn't make sense. Why did she even bother inviting him on the camping trip? Unless she really did like him. She had only started noticing him after everyone else was starting to, being a top notch student. Jennifer was a student with high marks as well, but since he couldn't bend to her will..

"You okay with this Andy?"

"Huh?" Andy asked as Buzz brought him out of his thoughts. Woody glanced at him with worry.

"About a majority of us accompanying you," Buzz asked.

Andy stepped closer to the group. "I'm sorry but, could you go over that again. I wasn't really, listening."

Buzz paused, then started to repeat the information. "I just thought it would be a good idea if a good number of us accompany you to Warrick's. That way we'll be able to look out for you and see that everything goes well."

"Wait a minute, accompany me?" Andy questioned. "I thought it was against your rules or whatever to be seen, well alive. If you go out there..."

"What do you think people would do if they saw you?" asked Mr. Potato Head. "Ask for your autograph? No, they'd run you down to a science lab or some freak show circus."

"But what about you," Andy questioned again.

"Don't worry about us Andy," said Buzz. "We have experience with this kind of thing."

"You've done this, before?" Andy questioned, raising an eyebrow.

"Once or twice, at least for me and Woody, and a few others."

Andy looked around at Woody who shrugged. "It was during circumstances you were unaware of."

"What circumstances, nevermind. Look, I'm not so sure it's a good idea if a whole band of toys go out there, no matter how many times you've done this. And to Warrick's of all people. Maybe it would be easier if I just go."

"But you have no experience being our size," said Slinky.

"What if you get into trouble?" asked Rex, shaking with the thought.

"I won't get into trouble, I can take care of myself."

"But mom would be worried if anything happened to you," said Woody. "Which is why I think it might be better if you stayed here."  
"What?" Andy questioned indignantly. "I'm the one who's the wrong size here. What if, whatever can make me big again can't be brought to me."

"No, we can bring the wizard," Woody said with determination.

"It might be more than the wizard," Andy told him.

"He could be right Woody," said Buzz. "He'll have to come."  
"Then I'm coming with him," Woody declared.

"So am I!" Jessie announced.

"Me too," said Slinky.

"Hold on a second," said Buzz. "It's like Andy said. We can't have too many on the trip. However, a large number would ensure the safety of our owner." They looked at Buzz hopefully. "Alright, who's up for another mission?" There were hands raised and nods.

"I believe I said I was up for it," said Slinky.

"You can count me in," said Hamm. "How bout it Potato Head. It's not a rescue mission this time, but it's just as good."

"Ah, what have I got to lose?" he asked. "Except maybe a limb." He pulled off his right arm and nudged Slink.

"Looks like the same team as before," Buzz noticed. "What about you Rex?"

"Well..." he started as he twiddled his claws together. Clearly the idea scared him, but then he saw Andy's face. Though Andy's emotions were a mix of Jen dumping him and his uncertainty of relying on the toys, Rex couldn't stand to see him sad. "I'm in. Don't worry Andy, I'm one dependable dinosaur."

"More like a dependable nut," said Mr. Potato Head.

"Alright it's settled," decided Buzz. "Hamm, Potato Head, Rex, Slinky, Woody, and me."

"What about me?" asked Jessie. Then Bullseye walked up next to her. "And Bullseye? We can be of help."

"I know you can," said Buzz, smiling at her willingness to help others. "But I think it would be two too many."

"But that's not fair!"

"Jessie," Andy started. She turned to him as if she were ashamed of her behavior. "You can help by taking care of the other toys and protecting the house while I'm away. Can you and Bullseye do that?"

She thought about it, then a huge grin spread across her face. "Your dang tootin we can do that. You have nothing to worry about Andy."

"Now that that's cleared up, let's stock up on some provisions," said Buzz.

"Provisions?" asked Rex. "We never stocked up on any before."

"For Andy genius," said Hamm.

"Oh right, I knew that."

The band of toys started to make their way down again. Andy started to follow, but was stopped when Woody's hand fell on his shoulder. He could tell the cowboy was still concerned about earlier. Andy hid an oncoming sigh. The last thing he wanted was for his toys to start worry about his personal problems.

"Andy. Are you sure you're okay? I mean, about this?"

"It's fine Woody," said Andy as he attempted to smile. In truth, he wasn't sure. How was it going to be? Heading out there in minature form? Surely it wasn't going to be that difficult. He was certain he could do it on his own without getting his toys wrapped up in the situation. Anything could happen to them and he worried they'd only slow him down. "I'm fine."  
"Guess I should know that, I mean I have known you for fifteen years. You're a sharp kid," he commented with a chuckle. Andy stared.

"And you're, a caring cowboy," Andy added after a beat. "But really. I'm fine. We'll just head over to Warrick's, get the antidote or whatever to get me back to normal and it's on, I'm not sure how I feel about my toys being in the kitchen alone."

Andy turned and continued on down the stairs, leaving behind a still worried Woody. He couldn't help feeling Andy was missing the point. It wasn't going to be that simple, he was sure. Then there was another feeling. A selfish feeling that didn't want Andy to leave him again. Once Andy was back to his old self, who was to say it would be playtime again. Then again, who's to say it wouldn't be. Andy would never forget this. Their rule of being silent in front of the boy was over now. But... he wasn't exactly a boy anymore. And after all these years of lack of toy-human interaction, he wasn't exactly the Andy he remembered. He knew that from observing him, but it felt even more real now that they were talking face to face. Andy didn't seem to want anything to do with them. He wanted to go off on this journey alone.

Woody made his way down the steps desolately. His attitude was no different from the teen who knew nothing about what his toys were capable of. He had grown and forgotten. _But maybe..._Woody thought with a spark of hope. _Maybe, we can change all that. _Maybe this was the opportunity.

As Andy rounded the corner to the kitchen, Buzz was already observing as the other toys scouted the room. Possibly trying to locate the best food to take or the best way to take it. But it wasn't necessary, or so Andy thought. Surely the trip would take no longer than a day? He headed over to Buzz as his eyes scanned the counter where Hamm and Mr. Potato Head were discussing the best food to take.

"I'm telling you a package of fries would be much easier to take than a ham sandwhich," said Hamm.

"Well clearly you're the expert on ham sandwhiches," said Mr. Potato Head.

"Ham sandwhiches?" Andy questioned. "Are they kidding? Buzz, I don't think we can really stock up on food. I mean how are we going to carry it?"

"You're still thinking big Andy," Buzz told him. "You need to think small. We won't take so much to slow us down though."

"Then I'll make it simple," said Andy as he walked away. "I mean I am getting hungry, so if I eat now, we won't have to worry about it." He headed over to the broom that was leaning against the counter. After studying it's position carefully, he jumped up onto the top of the bristles, then made to climb up the pole. It was gym class, that's all. A simple exercise. He would have loved to see the look on his coach's face. He was never very good at this in school. It was an effort, but he made it to the top of the counter. No food had been left out, except for the banana he couldn't finish. He took a few scoops of the banana and allowed the seemingly small portions to fill him. As he did, he looked around. There were chips, pretzels and a few fruit on the counter. Chips and pretzels were the easiest thing to take if he did get hungry again. He'd break off a few pieces and stuff them in his pocket. All that was left was water.

"Hey, what if we cook something for Andy?" Rex announced.

Andy looked up and noticed that the dinosaur had been up on the stove top.

"Rex!" Andy called.

But upon turning, the dinosaur's large clunky feet caught the knobs. The next thing he knew, two of the burners had lit up, trapping the dinosaur inbetween. "Rex!" Andy called as he hurried over to him. He stepped passed the unlit burners and pulled the dinosaur away from the stove before he could make anymore unwise moves. Hamm and Potato Head hurried over to him.

"Phew, that was a close one. We almost witnessed a dino extinction," said Hamm.

"You clumsy ox, you could've burnt the house down," said Potato Head.

"No kidding," said Andy. "I promised mom nothing would happen to the house."

"I'm sorry, I'm really sorry, I didn't mean to almost burn the house down," said Rex.

"Are you guys okay up there?" asked Slinky from down below.

"Yeah," said Andy. "We're good." But he wasn't so sure. This was a good reason why he shouldn't go on this journey with all these toys. Even if they didn't burn the house down, that didn't mean they couldn't get themselves hurt. Whether they were living or not, Andy always took good care of them.

Down below, Woody stepped up next to Buzz, his eyes following the group on the counter.

"Still worried Woody?" asked Buzz. "He managed to save one of us while we've been worrying about him."

"Of course not," said Woody. "I'm not worried." But after a beat, he had to confess the truth. "Okay I am. I am worried, but can you blame me? It's like Slink said, Andy has no experience being our size. Why the rescue he just performed could have been a lot worse. He thinks he can take care of himself."

"Well, he probably can, I mean he is fifteen," Buzz reasoned.

But Woody didn't want to hear that. "And he's less than a foot tall. No, just because he's grown some doesn't mean he can look after himself. We gotta make sure...things go smoothly."

Buzz paused before addressing his friend again. He could tell Woody had more on his mind than the welfare of their beloved owner. "What else is bothering you Woody? Besides Andy being, well, shortened a bit."  
"Well, it's not really something that's bothering me," he admitted. "But something we might take advantage of."  
"What do you-"

"We have a real chance here Buzz. A chance to turn things around for us."

"How do you-"

"By getting Andy to remember."

Buzz stared at him quizzically. "Remember, what?"

"Remember, oh, remember the good ol' days of course! Andy's fifteen. He hasn't played with us in years. But now that he's like this, maybe we can get the old Andy back, while we try to get his old self back, to normal size I mean. Come on Buzz what do you say?"  
"I say," Buzz said as he considered it. "It may happen all on its own. But it's for Andy to decide. Right now he has only one thing on his mind and that's growing up."

Buzz stepped away and Woody watched him go. There was double meaning in his words, and knowing Buzz, he was probably referring to both meanings. Yes Andy was only interested in growing up to his right size, and in another truth, he was interested in growing up.

**This chapter may have seemed short, but there's bound to be different lenghts, depending on where I end it. Anyways, the group has gathered and its time for them to make arrangements. Andy feels since he's old enough he should probably do this on his own, but like Woody thought, **_**It might not be so easy.**_** And hopefully Woody's dreams of reconnecting with Andy will come true.**

**So keep readin' and reviewin' and I'll be updatin' before yah know it!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: I still don't own toy story**

**Well as many of you know, school's started, so that kept me a bit occupied. Anways, we last left off with the group preparing to head out. It's a big world out there, so they'd better watch out! **

**(Orca: You have a point. it would have been nice if this was the plot for a toy story film. For a while I've had TS 3 on my mind, now all I seem to think about are what's coming for this fic. lol)**

Swept into a new adventure

After searching the kitchen for what seemed like an hour, the decision fell to Andy's favor. The need for major supplies was out. There wasn't even a small enough container with a cover to carry water. But Andy didn't care about that. He had been trying to convince them that it was all unecessary anyways. A simple walk across the street and back shouldn't take more than a few hours. He could hold out. However, he still decided to hold onto the pockets full of broken chips and pretzels. Their time in the kitchen came to an end, and the next step had them converging in the living room to discuss the trip.

"Alright," Buzz started. "I think our best option would be to move out in the evening."  
"The evening?" Andy questioned incredulously. "That's hours from now."  
"Less people will be about, which means less chance of any of us being seen."

"But, the last time we did something like this, we did it during the day," said Rex.

"During the day,"said Andy, slightly annoyed. "Yet when it's with me, you want to wait until night."

Buzz stood from where he had been kneeling in the center of the room. "We had farther to travel when we left the house before. This is the neighborhood. There are kids and adults constantly moving about. I think it would make things easier this time."

"Okay," Andy tried to reason. "But what are we suppose to do til then?"

Andy hoped this would pose as a problem and encourage them to forget about waiting and get on with the mission. Although part of him knew they were right, but he just wanted to get this over with. Suddenly Rex gasped with excitement.

"I know what we could do," he announced. "We can play!"

"Play," Andy voiced. "At a time like this?"  
"Why not? You said we needed something to do until we left."

"Well I was hoping you'd realize how much time we'd be wasting. You said you've left the house during the day, and I'm sure many people were about at the time. You did it without being seen and you can do it again. We can do it."

The toys exchanged akward looks.

"Andy, we don't want to rush into things," Woody tried. "We should take this one step at a time."

"Or maybe," Buzz said thoughtfully. "We can pull it off."

"Really?" asked Mr. Potato Head skeptically.

"Yes, but we'll wait around lunch time. Noon. Everyone should be inside or away for lunch."

"Okay, okay, that'll work," said Andy. "We'll just wait til lunch."

Woody folded his arms and glared at Buzz. It was like the days when Buzz was new, stealing Andy's interest. But surprisingly Woody's feelings weren't so much on jealousy. It was the feeling of being ignored, moreso by Buzz than Andy. He was completely pushing aside the possibilities. The more time they spent with Andy the better, but Buzz was willing to rush things. But it wasn't as though he were being so selfish that he wanted Andy to stay this way forever. He really didn't want to rush things and he had Andy's best interest at heart. But still reality couldn't be ignored. The closer they got to returning Andy, the faster they would lose him again.

"That gives us about an hour," said Hamm after glancing at the clock.

"That means we still have time left over!" said Rex as he hopped up and down. "To play!" Upon this the toys looked at Andy to decide.

"Got any threes?" asked Hamm.

"Go fish," said Andy.

Andy had found their fun time, but it wasn't what they expected; a game of cards played in the center of the living room floor. Andy, Hamm, Mr. Potato Head, Slinky and Rex had found the old card game of Molly's that usually stayed on the coffee table. Andy recalled the times when he and his sister did this sort of thing. But not anymore. Molly wasn't into silly card games. Most kids didn't seem to be nowadays. It was all about video games. Andy could understand that. It wasn't as if he offered to play the card game with her anymore either.

Hamm reached for a card in the pile. "You know," Rex started. "When I said play, I really wasn't expecting this."  
"What were you expecting?" Andy asked, not hearing the dino's disappointment.

"Well, uh."

"By the way,you have a pair?"

"Uh, go fish," Rex answered quietly.

This wasn't what he had in mind at all for play time. He wanted to play the games Andy used to make up for them. Set up scenes where the bad guys robbed banks or the hero saved the damsel in distress; or used his loyal dinosaur to help save the day. He could have very well told Andy these ideas, but he was afraid the teen would turn him down. As much as he and any of them tried to deny it, Andy didn't think that way anymore. But he was still hopeful. Then again, his small size may have been a problem, which Rex reasoned was his reason for picking a card game.

Woody was stretched out on the armchair, watching them below. Though the toys complied to play, he could tell they didn't seem to be finding it super entertaining. It was something they often did among themselves when Andy was away. Watching them now, it was like Andy had quickly become one of them. The way he scurried up and down the stairs, the way he shimmied up a broomstick handle. They were the things a toy had to know how to do. A human of course would never have to do those things, and if they did, Woody imagined it would take them time to learn. But Andy picked it up quickly enough. So perhaps Buzz was right. Andy just might be able to take care of himself.

"Having second thoughts about going?"

Woody jumped from the sudden voice. He looked down and smiled when he saw Bo.

"Oh, hi Bo. Where did you come from?"  
She giggled. "From Andy's room of course. I just came down to see if you left yet."

"Oh, not yet. We're leaving, at noon," he said bitterly.

"What's the matter?"  
"Nothing, it's nothing, I'm fine," Woody lied. Bo studied him for a moment before looking over at Andy. At the moment, Mr. Potato Head was accusing Hamm of cheating. The game seemed to be permanetly disrupted as the other toys and Andy tried to clear the matter.

"You know, this would be a great opportunity for you and Andy to rekindle your relationship."  
"Don't think I don't know that? It was my idea," said Woody. "But Buzz thinks it should be up to Andy."

"Well, he is the one you want to reconnect with isn't it? But after all Woody, Andy is getting older."  
"I know," he admitted sadly, turning away from the scene. He jumped down from the chair and leaned against it. Bo smiled sadly and moved next to him.

"But no matter what happens, you'll always have us, and me," she told him. She ran a hand along the side of his cheek, making the cowboy seemingly blush.

"Ah..ah, thanks Bo."

She gave him a quick peck on the cheek. "For luck," she told him. Then she walked away, heading back toward the stairs leading up to Andy's room. Woody watched her go with a happy dreamy look on his face. Unbeknownst to him, Andy had walked up behind him.

"So," he started. "What's going on between you and Bo?"

"Who, huh, what?" he asked startled.

"You and Bo? What's the story?" asked Andy, smirking.

"Ah, story, what story? There's no story?"

"It sure looked like a story to me. All the times I had you rescuing Bo, I had no idea how accurate I was about that.."

"It's nothing it's nothing. Bo and I are just friends, okay," he said with much embarrasment.

Andy smiled and nodded as if he believed Woody's excuse. "Sure you are. Sure." He folded his arms and leaned against the chair. He watched as Potato Head and Hamm decided to try and settle the argument through rock paper sisscors.

"That's not fair," said Hamm. "You have two extra fingers than me!"

Andy's focus turned back to the clock. It was almost time to go.

"You ready for this partner?" asked Woody.

"Of course, I am," said Andy, but all of a sudden he wasn't so sure. It had been a measley game of cards, but during that time, it had been something very unique. His toys were alive! Sure it may have been scary at first, but now it felt like something else. It felt very special. The guilt started to come, from the time when Andy stopped playing with them. They'd been aware all this time. And though the card game may have not been something the toys were eager to do, he could sense a hidden enthusiasm. Surely it wasn't from the game. No. It was from just being with Andy again.

"Woody, when this is over, how will things ever be the same again?"

Woody considered this, knowing exactly what he was talking about. "I'm not sure, but we'll work it out somehow."

Andy understood Woody was trying to make him feel okay about this, but in truth Andy knew he was a little worried. He did tell him it was a rule to keep silent and still in front of humans, but now they had broken that rule in order to help him. How would things be the same again now that he knew their secret? He couldn't very well stowe them away in the toy box like he planned to do. And he wasn't so sure he could get away with spending time with them in his room. He was about to enter high school where most of his time would be spent working on homework, studying, hanging with friends and just being a regular teen going on adult. Andy smiled to himself. If only he knew the toy's secret long ago. How much fun would that be.

"I don't know Woody. What about the rules?"  
"Ah, rules smules. Sometimes you have to break them in order to do what's right. And saving you, helping you, is."

Andy turned and smiled at the cowboy. Maybe it would work out, somehow.

"Alright everyone," said Buzz. "Let's move out!"

Andy nodded to Woody as they followed behind the group of travelers.

"Don't worry Andy," said Buzz. "We'll have you back to normal and safe in your room in no time."  
He opened the flap to the dog door. After checking to see that it was clear, he motioned for Andy to go through. Woody fell right behind him, along with Slinky, Hamm, Rex, and Mr. Potato Head. Buzz saluted the toys waiting on the stairs to see them off.

"Look out for Andy!" Jessie told them.

"We will," Buzz assured her.

"Stay safe!" said Bo.

"And keep an eye on my husband," said Mrs. Potato Head. "He doesn't always keep his eyes on himself."

"Will do," Buzz promised as he exited through the flap.

Outside Andy stood and took in a deep breath. It was nice to be outside, but it felt all the more different in his new size. The scent of earth was a lot stronger, perhaps because he was so close to the ground now. The breeze blew past him, easing any fears. He briefly wondered if his toys could sense such things as he could. The pavement of the walkway stretched out before him, leading to the street. Buzz was right about few people being about during the lunch hour. The kids that enjoyed playing about outside were inside now. It was quiet. The best time to sneak over to Warrick's. _He has to change me back, he just has to_ Andy thought to himself.

"Looks like the area is cleared," said Buzz.

"Obviously," said Mr. Potato Head. "Let's get going."

The group walked on with Buzz and Andy practically leading the group. "Is it a long venture to Warrick's householde?" asked Buzz.

"Sort of," said Andy. "It's across the street near the end of the block. We can stick to the sidewalk until we get closer."

As they moved, Andy couldn't help taking notice of everything around him. What was normal sized was now very big and towered over him ominously. Andy really didn't like the feeling it was giving him. The mailbox they passed, for example, cast its long shadow over him. Andy shuttered and hurried away from it and closer to his toys. It was like it had just dawned on him how much of a difference it made to be small. It was different before. He was in the comfort and safety of his own house, but out here, he was vulnerable. He didn't want it to show, but Woody caught on. He placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

"Is this how it is for all toys?" he asked.

"Only when we're doing something like this," Woody said with a small laugh. "Scary isn't it?"

"Well, I'm not sure scary is the word," said Andy. After constantly trying to reassure the cowboy that he would be fine, that he could actually do this himself, he felt pretty stupid being scared.

"It's not so bad really," said Slinky. "We have to put up with things being bigger than we are. After all, our owners are bigger."

"But you don't have to worry about that Andy," said Hamm.

"That's right," said Woody. "We won't let anything happen to you."

Andy was suddenly wishing he'd spent more time watching _Honey I shrunk the kids_. About halfway down the sidwalk, and a few times where they had to duck into the bushes for passing cars and pedestrians, it was time to cross the street.

"Okay everyone, we stay together. The faster we get across the street, the quicker we're out of the way of..."

"Becoming roadkill," finished Potato Head.

"Well, more or less." They turned and stared at it, before Buzz signaled them on. But the minute Andy stepped down on the road, a bad feeling ran up his spine. He tried to ignore it, but he couldn't help it as the feeling turned into an actual vibration from below. A couple of minutes into the walk, the vibration became clearer. "Hey guys?" he questioned. But he paused as a strange sound was coming to his ears. It sounded large, powerful, mechanical and fast. "Hey guys?" he tried again, but they had already stopped.

"Do you hear something?" asked Hamm.

"Yeah, and I also see something!" said Mr. Potato Head. They wheeled around in the direction he was looking and saw it. A large street sweeper was coming their way down the street. It's seemingly slow movements were actually quick. If they didn't get off the street, they'd be cleaned up, the hard way.

"What's that doing here!" Andy asked. The street sweeper didn't usually come around for up to two weeks and on a Friday. They were way off.

"Maybe a schedule change? I don't know, but what I do know is we should get out of here!" cried Hamm. The others agreed as they ran for the other side. But the quick running caught Rex off gaurd and he found his foot caught onto an open patch of tar that hadn't been covered with rocks. It was sticky enough to trap the dino, right in the sweeper's path.

"Hey guys! Help!"

"Uh-oh, looks like Rex is headed for another extinction," said Hamm. He, Slinky and Potato Head hurried over to help. Buzz, Woody and Andy stared back as the others tried to free Rex. Andy made to move toward them too, but Woody held him back.

"No Andy, it's too dangerous."

"We can't do nothing, we have to..."

"I'll do it," said Woody. He hurried to his friends as they all made to pull Rex out. Buzz grabbed Andy's hand and escorted him across the street.

"Woody!" Andy shouted. Their focus had been on pulling Rex to safety and trying to avoid other sticky spots. Unfortunately they failed to notice the sweeper was right on them. Without thinking, Andy ran back across the street.

"Andy no!" Buzz shouted. But it was too late. They may not could let anything happen to Andy and vise versa, he couldn't let anything happen to his toys. The spinning brushes and the splashes of water covered the cries of his friends. Fear was cast aside as Andy slid his way between a gap. He yelled for Woody, for Rex, for any of the others, but he knew he couldn't be heard. He was getting drenched. The pipes exhaled fumes and the noise of the machinery was deafening. Out of the corner of the chaos of Andy avoiding being pulled up or swept aside by its moving parts, he saw Woody. His face, seemingly pale for a doll, as he caught sight of Andy.

"Andy...what are you...!"

But the rest of his words were muffled out as the spinning brush caught him and threw him out of sight.

"Woody!" Andy yelled as he hurried after him. But he was blocked and he couldn't see. The pipes gave another burst of fumes and the next thing Andy knew, he was flying ahead of himself. The wind was knocked out of him and his head spinning. But he came down into something very wet. Some place that was dark and fast moving. Andy tried to grab onto the edge, but he slipped. The water of the sewer propelling him down a network of pipes.

**Okay, small apologizes for not knowing a lot about street sweepers or the way the sewer system works. But Woody did say the trip to Warrick's wasn't going to be easy. Their adventure starts here with the possible doom and a watery ride into the next chapter. It's funny that I wrote this chapter right before a real street sweeper came down the street. lol. It seemed pretty slow moving and surely the toys would have made it across the street in time. Unfortunately Rex was targeted for danger again. But I guess in this fic we'll have the street sweeper move a lot faster so that their journey to Warrick's has been interrupted.**

**So if you're dying to know if Andy and the other toys will make it, you'll have to check the next chapter! And keep me posted with your reviews!**


	9. Chapter 9

**disclaimer: I don't own Toy Story**

**Hope you guys are still reading and enjoying this story. Keep those reviews coming! Anyways, we last left Andy to his possible doom down a pipe system.**

Picked-up

It was the worst water ride Andy had ever experienced. If such an attraction actually existed in a water park, he felt sorry for the riders. It was dark, but the few glimpses of light showed him the terrifying situation that made him unsure if he would survive. He was moving what felt like fifty mph down a pipe of rushing water. All he could hear was the crashing waves and the sound of his own yelps and cries as he was being tossed about and from side to side. There were turns and drops showing more violent waves, that would pull him under. Andy sputtered and coughed and tried to catch sight of his toys. But it looked like he was alone. A foolish mistake cost him being lost.

There was no time to think that way, however, as the pipe seemed to be ending up ahead. Andy had no real time to brace himself as he fell over the edge of a rush of water. He screamed. This was what it must feel like to fall over a waterfall. Andy fell to the water below. Luckily, he caught a break as the water was not traveling so fast. Andy grabbed ahold of a floating styrofoam cup and tried to catch his breath again. His eyes wandered all around the cave-like space. He turned this way and that.

"Woody! Mr. Potato Head! Anybody!"

His voice echoed, but nobody answered. He was alone. Andy shut his eyes and wondered how it had all gone wrong so quickly. Where was everybody? Where was he? And where was he going?

After several more minutes, he found out. Up ahead, there was light. Once again, Andy fell as the water ended. But it was a short fall, into the water that wasn't so deep. He pulled himself up and hurried over to the edge where the sides were paved. Upon pulling himself up further, he saw that the pipes had brought him to a park. And it wasn't just any park. It was a park he knew to be within the city. Andy gaped at the tall buildings, the number of people passing by, the cars hurrying down the streets. He hurried up a grassy hill and into the shrubs. There, he collasped onto his back in exhaustion. He was panting and his heart was pounding. He stared up at the clear blue sky. He never felt so alone. His old thoughts of believing he could do this alone, came back to haunt him. There was no way it was better to go it alone. He missed his friends and he was more scared than ever. He was miles from home and he had no idea how he was going to get back there.

"What am I going to do?" he asked as his eyes drifted closed in despair.

"That's the same thing we were wondering?"

Andy's eyes shot open. He sat up and found that he was suddenly surrounded by Hamm, Slinky, and Rex. All of them showed signs of being wet, however their plastic bodies repelled most of the water.

"Guys, you made it!"

"Almost," said Mr. Potato Head. He was placing his left arm back in his socket and went to put back a missing eye and ear. "Parts of me almost got left behind. Don't think I'll ever travel over sea again."

"That was so scary," said Rex. "I thought we were done for!"

"We almost were," said Hamm. He sat up and allowed Slinky to pull the cork from his belly, releasing some of the water that had gotten into him.

"Hey, where's Woody?" Andy asked nervously.

"Over here," a voice growled. Woody stepped out of the shrubs, trying to squeeze as much water as he could from his soggy arms. He shook his hat clear of the water and placed it back on his head. A very reprimanding look crossed his features as he folded his arms and looked at Andy. All of sudden it was like Woody was the parent, filling a child with guilt for the bad thing he did.

"I'm sorry Woody," Andy apologized. "But I couldn't just stand by and watch you..."

"You could have been hurt!" Woody yelled. "Buzz was leading you out of harms way, why didn't you..Buzz! Where is he?"

Their conversation halted as they looked around.

"He's probably back where I left him," Andy admitted.

"Or," said a familar voice. "He's right here."

"Buzz!"

They hurried over to him as he climbed his way up the grassy hill. The evidence of his suit showed he had experienced the same watery ride to join up with them.

"How'd you know we were here?" Andy asked.

"After the sweeper left the area I discovered all of you had disappeared, in the area near a drain. So without hesitation I plunged in after you."

The guilt Andy was feeling weighed down even more. Buzz was willing to risk getting seriously damaged just to save them all.

"I'm sorry about that, but if I hadn't jumped in after you, we'd be separated."

"But you still shouldn't have.."

"I didn't want to lose you," Andy said, interrupting Woody's rants. At the look of the boy's fear of losing one of his best friends, Woody relented. He sighed and his face softened.

"It's alright. It wasn't your fault."

"Yeah, it was Mr. tender foot over hear," said Mr. Potato Head, pointing at Rex. Rex gasped and trembled.

"No, it wasn't anyone's fault," Woody decided. "It was just a bad accident is all. I guess I was right about it not being a simple walk in the park to cross the street."

"Well, speaking of walks in the park," said Andy, as he and the other toys took in the playground that stretched out before them. "How are we going to get back home? In this size, home is miles from here and we're a city away."

"We'll just have to do it carefully," said Woody. "And without rushing."

Andy nodded. He was done being in such a hurry. It had almost cost them their lives. But that didn't mean they had to slack off. No. They would still need to make it back before his mom got home and that would be six days from now.

"You think we can avoid the streets for a while?" asked Slinky.

"We'll have to," said Mr. Potato Head. "Look at the traffic."

"Then our best chances are along this park," said Woody. "We can catch a ride that would take us near, if not closer to Andy's neighborhood."

"Sounds good to me," said Hamm.

"Me too," said Slinky.

So it was studied the area of the park. It was gated with iron bars, which were too close together to pass through. Their solution would be to travel all the way around the park to the entrance. That was one problem. Another was sneaking a ride without being seen by the people walking about on the outside. For now they crept along under the cover of the shadows, as far as the bushes would allow them. But at one point, the bushes ended. They could see the entrance not too far from them.

"Okay, we just need to make it through there and we're fine," said Buzz. But not everyone's attention was on him. Rex couldn't help letting his eyes wander over to the swings and slides where children were at play. How he missed the days when Andy took them to the park. It had been rare, but he still enjoyed it.

"Oh, boy, look at all those children!" he said excitedly.

"Forget it Dino, we don't have time to play; we're on a mission," said Hamm.

Andy moved closer to Buzz and Woody as they studied the passerby. There was no specific pattern to the way they entered and exited, so they would just have to take their chances.

"Alright, let's do this one at a time here," said Buzz. "When I give the signal, I'll go, then Woody, Rex, and so forth and so forth. We'll target that bench just on the outside."

They nodded. Upon seeing they would have a shot through after a lady with a stroller passed, Buzz signaled the group. He hurried out just as she passed. The gang watched eagerly. Buzz had made it to the bench. He signaled back that he was okay. They paused as a few more people with kids passed by. Buzz signaled for Woody.

"Alright Andy, here I go." He hurried across as fast as his long legs could carry him. There was a close call as a kid went skipping by, but Woody ducked under the bench before being spotted. He signaled he'd made it as well.

"Alright, who's next?" asked Slinky.

"Why don't you send Rex over, I think he's begining to faze out," said Mr. Potato Head. They others looked around and saw that Rex was gazing longingly at the playground children. Boys and girls on the playground equipment or letting their imaginations run wild with their beloved toys. Andy frowned then stepped up to Rex.

"Come on Rex, time to go."

"But I... they're...Couldn't we just stay for a little while? What would it hurt?"

Andy studied him for a moment, then gazed at the kids at play. Buzz and Woody were signaling them to hurry across. But for once Andy wasn't going to rush this. He was coming to realize just how important playtime was for his toys. Though his other toys didn't express it, he could see it and feel it all the more in Rex.

"Listen Rex. Right now, I've gotta get back home," he told him. Rex's face fell. "But, I..I promise you when we get home, we'll have a full day of playtime; a week if you want."

"You mean it?"

"Yes, I do."

"Oh boy, then let's hurry and get you home!"

"Alright, you go across Rex, Hurry!" Andy told him. The dinosaur hurried out upon Buzz and Woody's signal. Once he made it and a few more people passed by, it was Andy's turn. "Okay, here I go."

"Wait!" Slink told him as he grabbed the back of his shirt with his jaws and pulled him back. He turned to see what the problem was and heard it when he saw a little brunette girl with pigtails and wearing all pink hurry down the path.

"Look Mommy! Someone left some toys under there!"

She and her mother had been on their way out of the park. Bouncing ahead of her mother, she spotted Woody, Buzz and Rex. Andy turned in time to see Rex freeze. Woody and Buzz fell to the ground.

"What's happening?" asked Andy surprised. "What are they.."

"It's okay," explained Slinky. "They're going into toy mode."  
"Toy mode?" Andy questioned. The little girl hurried over to the bench and reached under for them. It was odd now, seeing Rex, Woody and Buzz acting like lifeless toys after he had spent a good part of the day talking to them. After getting over the initial shock that they were alive, it seemed odd to see them this way. Andy frowned, not liking the new disruption to their mission. He hoped she was a true girly girl, only interested in barbies and baby dolls, and put his toys back where she found them. But she didn't.

"Alissa, we don't have time for this! Mommy's going to be late for work."

"But mom!" she yelled in a bratty tone for an eight year old. "Look!" She thrust Woody in front of her so she could see. "They're unwanted or else why would someone leave them here. I want them."

"You have enough toys already, and it's cost me a fortune."

"Well if I get these, they won't cost you anything. They're tax free."

Her mother, a business type woman who seemed worn out by her daughter, stared then sighed. "Alright, but come on."

Alissa took off her backpack and stuffed Woody, Buzz and Rex inside. Then she zipped it up and took her mother's hand as they headed out.

Andy sighed. "Not again. We just got back together."

"Come on," said Hamm. "We'll follow them."

They hurried out of the entrance as soon as a jogger crossed into the park. They made it to the bench, their eyes still following the girl and her mother. Luckily for them, the mother's car was right there at a parking metor.

"How will we get them back? We can't chase a car," Andy stated.

"Hmm, maybe that trunk problem will do," said Hamm.

They looked and saw the trunk of the car was partially raised up. It was tied down as whatever was inside wouldn't let the trunk close completely. They scurried across the sidewalk just as Alissa's mother entered the car. Mr. Potato Head helped Andy up into the trunk, followed by Hamm, then Slinky and himself. Inside, they saw a stack of suitcases that were keeping the trunk from closing.

"Everybody hang on," Hamm instructed. "You know the law for wearing seatbelts."  
"You moron, there are no seatbelts back here," said Mr. Potato Head.

"Then I guess we'll have to secure ourselves on the side," said Andy as he grabbed ahold of the ropes that tied the suitcases together. The car shook as the engine started. As the car pulled away, Andy hoped Alissa didn't live farther away from their home, like Cleveland.

**Ah, it seems another cliffhanger on the rise. Just when they reunited, half the toys were kidnapped. Hopefully Andy and the rest can get them back. **

**I gotta say, I was inspired to write the watery sewer trip from watching Ratatouille, when Remy found himself traveling down them. An exciting but frightening ride. And I'm sure Andy will have a few more of them!**

**Anyways, continue letting me know how you're enjoying the tale, while I work on the next chapter! Stay tuned.**

**Made a minor adjustment where Andy says "they're a city away". It wasn't mentioned before where they were***


	10. Chapter 10

**disclaimer: I don't own Toy story**

**I hope you guys are still reading and enjoying the adventure. School work keeps me pretty busy, but I still get a chance to write on this adventure and I'm pleased about that. Well it looks like Andy and the others have got a job of figuring out how to save Woody, Buzz and Rex from their new owner, and possible new toys!**

Questionable New Toys

"Oh no Mr. spaceman! Don't vaporize me! I don't know nothing about your aliens!"- Alissa cried out as the voice of her new cowboy.

"Oh no, but you know a thing or two about those space cows you're hiding over there!"- Alissa cried in a deeper voice of her new space ranger.

She was sitting happily in the backseat of the car, annoying her mother with her play scene of Woody cowering before Buzz.

"Couldn't you wait before you pulled those things out?" her mother asked. She glanced through the rearview mirror and caught her daughter flying her new toys around. At the comment, Alissa pouted and dared to glare at her mother.

"They're probably full of germs," her mother insisted.

"I suppose you'd know a thing or too about that," Alissa murmured in a nasty tone. "They're fine ma!"

She sighed and shook her head. She didn't have time to sort out the brattiness of her child. She was a busy lawyer on the verge of possibly moving out of their apartment. There was no help coming from her ex-husband, and to top that off, the loss of her youngest child was weighing on her greatly. It was six months ago, but it still hurt.

"Watch out Mr. spaceman, for I've unearthed a great t-rex to snap your neck!"- Alissa cried as Woody. She reached in her bag and pulled out Rex and used him to bite into Buzz. Alissa cried out in pain and suffering as a dying space man.

No sooner had her space toy died did they reach their apartment. In the trunk, Slinky, Hamm, Potato Head and Andy felt it.

"Are we there yet?" Andy asked.

"Sure feels like it," said Hamm. He moved over to the edge and peaked out through the crack. "Looks like we have arrived." the car doors slammed.

"How will we follow them?" Andy asked as the others moved over to him.

"Well, I would have suggested letting the girl find us as toys, but considering one of us isn't exactly plastic, I suppose we'll do it the hard way," Hamm explained. He then jumped out of the crack. The others moved closer and looked down at Hamm. "Well come on. We don't want them to get away!"

Head shrugged and jumped down.

"Here Andy, take my paws and I'll lower you down," said Slinky.

"It's no big deal."

"It's kind of a long jump down and besides that, Woody'd kill us if we didn't make sure you were alright."

Without further argument, Andy took Slinky's front paws. And as though he were some kind of bungee, he lowered his slinky body down, bringing Andy safely to the curb. He then jumped out himself. They just caught sight of the woman and the girl entering the apartment. As soon as a couple passed by, they hurried across and up the stairs. Mr. Potato Head spun his hat like a frisbee which caught in the closing door. Once inside, they hid themselves behind some potted plants and peeked around. The mother and the girl who was still flying Woody and Buzz around her entered an elevator.

"Mom, can I push the button?"

"Okay, but remember it's the fifth floor."  
"I know that, I just like to push all the buttons."

As they disappeared inside, Andy and the gang closed the space by getting close to the shutting doors. "Now what?" Andy whispered. But he was silenced by Mr. Potato Head. A man came and entered the elevator.

"Let's go!" he whispered. They hurried inside before the doors shut. The man carried a nice briefcase and kept glancing at his watch so much that he didn't notice the odd assortment of beings in the corner of the elevator. And just in case he did happen to look around, they'd make sure all he saw were what appeared to be abandoned toys. Slinky, Hamm and Mr. Potato Head kept Andy covered and hidden from view. It would be obvious to anyone that saw him that he wasn't exactly made of cloth or plastic. Andy sat with his knees drawn up, wondering how it had come to this. How a seemingly perfect morning had gone so wrong. He didn't have long to think on it as the doors opened.

"He's getting out on the second floor," Slinky whispered. When the elevator stopped, the man got out. No one else came in. Slink hurried forward and stretched himself up to the number five button. Now that they were alone, they spread out and waited patiently, allowing the elevator music to soothe their nerves.

Upon the fifth floor, they lucked out with a group of potted plants. They scurried out of the doors and hid behind them.

"Where are they!" Andy cried looking up and down.

"There!" Slinky motioned. He just saw a glimpse of the girl skipping through the door.

"Great," said Andy sarcastically. "This is getting better and better by the minute. Unless we can open the door and walk right in, we're screwed."  
"Then I guess we should make that a possibility," said Hamm. The others gave him curious looks.

Meanwhile, Alissa was hurrying to her bright pink room, happily flying her new toys around her.

"Mom doesn't know what she's talking about. She says you're full of germs, but we know it's from that asteroid that crashed into you ranch cowboy. It affected the spaceman and the dinosaur." She settled on the floor near her play table which was also bright pink and covered in flowers. "So what can we do to fix that problem?"

"Alissa! Alissa answer me!"

"What ma!"

"I want you to wash up for lunch!"

"Do I have to?"

"Yes you have to," her mother yelled back. "Your sitter should be here any minute. I want to spare her the trouble of trying to get you to eat. Now move it!"

Alissa sighed and threw her toys aside. "Guess we'll play later," she whispered to them. She then headed to the door, but before she closed it, she turned back to the toys. "And maybe later when I come back, we can play,...operation." She laughed and shut the door behind her.

Immediately Woody jumped up and took sight of his surroundings. It was like a room set up for Barbie, but as far as he could see, there were no barbies anywhere. Buzz and Rex followed his league.

"Where are we?" Rex asked.

"Clearly this is the room of this Alissa person," said Buzz.

"But what about the others?" asked Woody as he began to panic. "What about Andy?"

"Easy there cowboy, they're probably all still at the park."

"Then we gotta get out of here and meet up with them," Woody decided as he hurried over to a toy box that was perched right under a window. He ignored Buzz's calls as he attempted to pry open the window.

"Woody!" Buzz called. "Will you slow down."

"No, I will...not slow..down," he gasped inbetween his attempts to open the window. "Andy is..out there..out there...on...his...own."

"He's not on his own. Hamm, Mr. Potato Head and Slinky are with him."  
"Ha, is that..suppose to make me feel better? Come on you stupid window! Whoa!"

All of a sudden, Woody was thrown off the toy box as the lid suddenly opened. Rex jumped behind Buzz as the beings within it slowly started to come out. Buzz couldn't help getting the creeps as they made their appearance. It was similar to the feeling when Sid's toys revealed themselves. The only difference was they were pretty normal looking. They weren't mangled or disabled and recreated in a frightening manner. Other than the signs of being painted on or dropped in the dirt, they did look pretty normal. Plastic dolls, stuffed dolls, teddy bears, little clowns, monkeys, action figures, etc. stepped out.

"Ah, greetings," Buzz greeted nervously.

"Oh looky looky looky! Alissa's got new toys!"

The toys parted to reveal a blonde barbie with a disturbing make-over of green, red and blue paint across her face like it was war paint. Even her wide smile was a little creepy. Behind the toy box, Woody was shaking off the motion of getting thrown. He paused when he heard the toys murmuring to one another and peaked around the box.

"Where are you from?" Barbie asked in a sugary sweet voice.

"Well ah, actually, we're in the middle of a mission to, help someone in need," Buzz told her. He wasn't sure he should attempt to explain what happen to their owner. There was no gaurantee they'd believe it, or like it. "We were in the park and your owner picked us up by mistake. So if you could just show us the way out, we'll be on our way."  
"Oh, but it wasn't a mistake," Barbie said, with the wide smile still stretched across her face. "Alissa helps every toy. She wanted to help you by giving you a home."  
"Yeah, and now ya got one," said a raggedy colorful clown with a sneer.

"And you're staying here," said a plastic monkey. The toys moved closer as if to trap Buzz and Rex in their circle. Woody saw this and hurried out to them.

"Alright you guys," said Woody. "We don't want any trouble. We just want to get out of here and find our owner."

"But Mr. Spaceman said you were in the middle of helping someone," said Barbie as she tilted her head.

"Ah, well, we are. Some other toys of our owner's, so if you don't mind," Woody said as he backed away from Alissa's toys. Buzz and Rex followed his movement. "We'll be on our way."

When they turned, a caped super hero toy stood in their way with his arms folded. They couldn't see his face for a helmet, but they were sure he was glaring under it.

"I don't think you understand," said Barbie in an eerie sweet voice. "You're Alissa's toys now. And you get to _play play play play play..._all day." The fact that her own voice box was a glitch and interrupted her normal speech gave Woody and Buzz a reason to be more afraid of the seemingly friendly toys, and Alissa.

"What are we gonna do?" Woody whispered to Buzz.

Buzz considered the situation, then surprised Woody. "Perhaps it would be better to stay."

"What? Are you insane! Just look at them," Woody pointed out. Barbie giggled at his fright, and then for no reason, her head spun a few turns before she was able to stop it with her hands. "You see that! We have to get out of here, or have you forgotten about Andy?"

"Andy was the reason why I thought we should stay put."  
"Huh?"  
"Only an hour ago, when you were swept up by the sweeper, Andy risked his life to save you. There's no doubt he won't do it again with the others; in fact they may already be here."

"So what are you saying?"

"I'm saying if we don't want to further separate ourselves, we should wait it out."

In the living room of the apartment, Alissa's mother was preparing to make a call to the babysitter. Alissa sat at the table eating on a ham sandwhich.

"Where is that babysitter?" her mother asked. "She should have been here.." She was interrupted by a knock at the door. "Ah, there she is." She moved across the room and answered the door. But there was no one there. She frowned and shut it. Now sooner had she turned her back did the knocking start again. Once again she answered it, but no one was there.

"Annoying kids. I already have one," she growled. But unbeknownst to her, Hamm, Slinky, Andy and Potato Head had entered with each knock and hid themselves under a nearby couch. Alissa's mother sighed and proceeded to call the sitter.

"Ma, I'm done now! Can I go play in my room?"  
"Did you eat all of your lunch?"

"Yessss, ma, see!" she screamed as she opened her mouth to show she'd swallowed everything. Her mother rolled her eyes and nodded.

"Alright, go already."

Alissa cheered and hurried away. Andy and his toys watched as she disappeared from sight.

"Okay," said Andy. "We made it in the house, when do we make it to her room?"

"Hmm, very carefully I would imagine," said Hamm.

In Alissa's room, the toys were still trying to convince Andy's toys that they belonged. But neither Buzz, nor Rex or Woody said anything more. At that time, they could hear running footsteps. Alissa's toys hurried into the toy box and Andy's toys hurried back to the place where she dropped them. Alissa entered, like a mad woman with a huge grin on her face. She slammed the door behind her and pretended to lock it. Slowly she stepped over to Woody, Buzz and Rex.

"Now, where were we?" she asked them. She laughed. "Ah yes, we were about to have fun."

**Hmmm, Alissa's toys seem to give off that Sid's toys vibe, particularly in the Barbie doll. **_**Be afraid, be very afraid! **_**I guess it's safe to say Andy and the others will have a time getting their friends out. So we've met the new toys, next chapter I think it's time to meet the new owner!**

**As always, review and I'll be updating soon.**


	11. Chapter 11

**disclaimer: I still don't own toy story**

**Well, found time to update. We've met the toys in the last chapter, time to get to know Alissa more...along with her creepy toys.**

Questionable New Owner

"Please please please Mr. Spaceman! I'm not the one you want, my brother!" Alissa cried as Woody. She pulled up another smaller cowboy doll whose head laid on his shoulder as if his neck were broken. Alissa had taken her interest in painting the toys to Woody as he now doned a thin green mustache.

"You can't fool me!" Alissa stated as Buzz. "I can see through your disguise. You're that lousy sheriff that stole my aliens!"

"You leave my boyfriend alone!" came her voice as the warpainted Barbie. Alissa mashed her belly button to sound off the voice box. _"Let's go shop shop shop shopping!"_

"Not now honey. I have to get rid of the spaceman," Alissa/Woody told her.

Surrounding the scene, several of her other toys were about like a crowd about to watch a fight. In front of her was Rex, facing off a rather large monsterous looking red and orange t-rex. If Rex were able to move, he'd be shaking in fear of the thing.

"Take the beach jeep babe," said Alissa/Woody. Alissa made to reach for it, but noticed it wasn't there. "Huh? Where'd I leave that, oh nevermind."

"Ha, your girlfriend's not going anywhere! Sic her gigantasaur!" cried Alissa/Buzz. Alissa threw down her other toys and took the large T-Rex. She screamed in Barbie's voice as she made her t-rex chomp on her body and face.

"Babe! Alright that did it Mr. Spaceman!"

"Alissa!"

"What is it MA!"

"Your babysitter's here!"

"Good to know ma!"

The door to her room opened and her mother entered, looking irritated. "Aren't you even going to say goodbye to me?" Alissa gave her a cold look.

"Mother, I'm kinda in the middle of something important here."

She sighed. "Well then I'll see you later. Be good."

Her mother stepped out of the room and gazed longingly at the door. She felt she had become worse since the loss of her brother. But she didn't have time to talk about it now. She moved away from the door and stepped through the livingroom and onward to the kitchen. "Tiffany, Alissa already ate, so you don't need to worry about anything..."

Her words trailed off for the small group of members hidden just under the couch. A good thirty minutes had passed since Alissa left to her room and Tiffany the babysitter arrived. Andy was quickly becoming agitated. He had no idea how he was going to save Woody, Buzz and Rex without being seen. There was only one exit and so far, Alissa didn't seem willing to exit her room anytime soon. She reminded him of himself. Andy recalled the days he'd spend locked in his room, playing for hours with his toys. Now those days were gone.

"Wait a minute, wait a minute, I think I have it," said Hamm.

The group looked over at him. Durring their wait, they had all been trying to come up with a way out of the situation without any chaos. For a while it looked like the best thing to do was to wait it out, but now it seemed Hamm had an idea.

"What is it Einstein?" asked Potato Head.

"Our answer is right over there." They turned in the direction he was looking and in the middle of the livingroom floor, was a large bright pink jeep with the word _Barbie _on the side.

"That's your bright idea?" asked Potato Head. "What is it with you and cars? You did the same thing when we were off rescuing Woody."  
"Rescuing Woody?" asked Andy. "When was this?"

"Right after you left for Cowboy camp," said Slinky.

"But.."

"What did you have in mind?" Potato Head said, cutting off Andy. "We cruise around this apartment? There's a babysitter about as if you didn't know."  
"I do know, and that's why I suggested it. It's our ticket into Alissa's room without getting caught."

"So, you'll be alright until I get back?" asked Alissa's mother.

"Of course Mrs. Stevens," said Tiffany.

"And you've got my phone number?"

"That's right."

"Okay, then I guess I have no reason to Ouch!"

Mrs. Stevens stumbled as her foot got caught on something unexpected. In the middle of her path was a Barbie jeep with a couple of toys inside. A piggy bank was at the sterring wheel, a potato head as the passenger, and a slinky dog in the backseat. Mrs. Stevens picked it up and observed it.

"What's this doing here? Oh nevermind. Give that to Alissa and tell her not to leave her toys in the middle of the room where people have to walk," she said as she handed the car to Tiffany. "I should be back soon, so try not to let Alissa drive you to insanity." And with that she left. Tiffany eyed the jeep full of toys, then headed off to the girl's room.

The teenager knocked a few times before pushing the door open. Inside, Alissa was crashing Woody and Buzz violently into one another. She kept switching back and forth as their voices, but what she really should have been doing was screaming for them. Her pushing Woody into Buzz's helmet so hard made it look like it might crack any second. And Woody's stitching seemed ready to tear.

"Hey hey hey!" Tiffany cried over the loud noise of crashing.

"What," Alissa asked coldly.

"Your mother doesn't want you leaving these toys in the middle of the room," said Tiffany. She held out the jeep. Alissa dropped her toys and took the jeep. She eyed the toys with mild curiosity.  
"These aren't my toys? Where did they come from?"

"Beats me. Look, just take it easy in here alright."

"Hey wait. Is it two o'clock yet?" Alissa asked politely.

"Why?"

"Well, my favorite movie, The Land Before Time, is suppose to come on at that time and I don't want to miss it."  
"It's a couple of minutes after two."

"It is?" she cried. She quickly set the jeep down near her bed and made to run out of the room. Once again, she turned to her toys before closing the door. "Ah, we'll finish this as soon as the movie's over. Ooooh you're gonna get it Mr. Spaceman!" And as before she slammed the door.

Woody and Buzz quickly jumped up and rubbed their heads and chest. Clearly the constant pounding of their play fight had gotten to them.

"You, ah, alright Woody?" asked Buzz.

Woody stumbled around with a dazed look that he quickly shook off. "Yeah..yeah I think I'm alright. How about you Rex?"

Rex quickly jumped up from his side and backed away from the larger t-rex who was growling and advancing on him. "This is definately not the kind of confrontation I wanted to have."

"Hey!" Woody yelled as he jumped in front of him. "You stay away from our buddy!"

"Tha..tha..tha..tha...that's right," said Barbie. "We're a family now. And anything my boyfriend says, goes." Her never ending wide smile and bright staring eyes frightened Woody into silence.

"O-kay," said Buzz. "But you might want to ask our friends."

Woody snapped out of his momentary stare to take notice that the rest of Andy's toys had arrived, in style.

"Guys! How did you, where did you..." Woody started.

"You didn't think we'd let you get kidnapped again did you?" asked Hamm as he and the others stepped out of the jeep.

"That's great, but where's Andy?"

"Right here," he answered as he popped up from the floor in the backseat. Hamm's idea of being carried to Alissa's room in a jeep had worked. It was a toy full of toys. The only problem was Andy. Luckily, the jeep was big and wide enough for him to hide down on the floor. Slinky stretched his body over him for cover. It was just lucky for them the people didn't look too closely at everything in Barbie's ride.

"You're not hurt or anything?" asked Woody as he actually went to the trouble of checking him over.

"No of course..are you sure you're Woody?"

"What? Of course I'm Woody?"

"Well then, you might want to shave," said Andy with a grin. Woody rolled his eyes down to his nose and remembered the green mustache Alissa painted there. He quickly wiped it off on his sleeve.

"You know, you didn't have to do that; come for us," Woody told him. "You should have left it to Hamm and the others. You could have been caught."

Andy stared at him intently, then looked at Buzz and Rex. "I couldn't just leave you here with her. You're my toys." At that Woody felt a warmness rising in the pit of his little stuffed body. Andy acknowledged them as _his._ They were no one else's, because they belonged to Andy. It was like it had given new meaning to the hope he had of reuniting with Andy, after all those years of lost playtime. He knew it should happen anyway since Andy knew their secret, but still, just hearing those words made Woody feel it was possible. That Andy would come back and play with them again.

"Now let's see if we can try this reuniting thing again and not get separated anymore," Andy continued.  
"I'm with you," said Buzz. But then he paused, as did the others. The room was strangely quiet even though it was filled with Alissa's toys. They were still there, however, they were frozen, in fear. And the source of their fear seemed to be Andy. He turned to them, confused. They gawked at him as if he were some kind of monster.

"Hey? What's wrong?"

His simple question caused them to cringe. "He spoke," said a small rubber insect in a panic. "He actually spoke to us! What do we do? What do we do?"

"Just relax," said a larger inscet toy. "And stay still, maybe he won't see us."

Both insects froze like toys, except their faces were frozen in fright. Andy gaped. Were these guys kidding?

"Hey guys guys guys, it's okay," said Woody as he came forward. "This is my owner. He knows all about us, so there's no need to-"

"You're fra, fraternizing with a hu hu human?" questioned Barbie. Her eerie smile had finally vanished and was replaced by a dark frown.

"Well ah-"

"And of all humans, your own owner?" she whispered in disbelief.

"Well ah-" Woody started as he scratched the back of his neck. But Barbie had had enough.

"That's it!" she said angrily. "We're _threw threw threw threw threw!"_ Which each repeat of her voice, her head started spinning, only faster this time due to her anger. As before, she stopped it with her hands.

"That's not it at all, you see.." Woody began, as he tried to explain to her and the other toys. Behind him, Andy stared, unsure if he should find this frightening of funny. For the most part he was a little awestruck.

"Ah, what's with Linda Blair?" he asked Rex.

"Who?"

"The barbie doll?" he growled.

"Oh, she's one of Alissa's toys. They say we can't leave because we belong to her now."

"That's ridiculous. You guys belong to me." He stepped forward next to Woody who seemed to be having the hardest time trying to tell them what happened. "Look guys, it's real simple. No no no, you don't have to be afraid. Come on, I won't hurt ya." Andy waited as some of the toys had considered hurrying away from him. But they seemed to be curious enough to want to understand why a human was talking to his toys and perhaps why he was so small. "Look, don't really got a lot of time to share everything, but in a quick explaination, something strange happened to me. As you can see, I shouldn't be this size, but I am, and my toys are helping me to change that."

They looked at one another uncertainly. "So if you don't mind, we'll be on our way, and you are welcome to forget this ever happened. O-kay?" They paused.

"I'm not so sure we can do that," said Barbie, still keeping the smile off her face. She seemed pretty teed-off. "Your toys have broken a rule."

"Only to help me."

"My boyfriend has broken a rule!" Now everyone seemed to be glancing between her and Woody, who looked equally shocked. "And now, we can never be together." Barbie turned away and proceeded to cry in her hands. Andy backed away, now feeling he should be frightened. He stepped back all the way to Woody.

"Ah, Woody? In the time you got taken and we managed to come in here, you hooked up with this-"  
"We are not hooked-up!" Woody declared. "It's a game Alissa made-up. Look, we're leaving and there's nothing you can do to stop it. Come on guys."

Woody turned his back on the matter just as Barbie was finished sobbing. "You're not going anywhere," she whispered dangerously. Upon that remark, a few of Alissa's toys blocked the door.

"But, what about our owner?" said Buzz. "Alissa can't find him here."

"He can go home, without you," said Barbie.

"We can't let him do that in the state he's in," cried Woody. "He's our owner!"

"What about our owner Woody! What about Alissa?" she screamed.

"What about her?" Woody asked angrily. "Did you see the way she played with us? She's like a female version of Sid."

"Who's Sid?" asked a rather large dark brown teddy bear in a deep voice.

"Ah, long story," said Woody. "What I'm trying to say is I, well we don't want to be stuck with someone who plays that rough."  
"Alissa didn't always used to play so rough," said another bear. "She used to be more gentle."

"She only got that way because of her little brother," ansered a robot in a too-too.

"Huh? What brother?" asked Andy.

"She had a little brother," Barbie explained. "Named Cole. She was gentle because of him, because she liked to look after him so much. Then six months ago, he, he went missing."

"No one knows how," said a clown. "He was just gone."

"It tore Alissa apart, and since her mother couldn't talk to her about it, Alissa started taking it out on us. First it was really bad, now it's become who she is. She shrugs it off as having fun, but she's not. She's hiding her feelings."

There was silence. No one knew what to say. Buzz, Rex and Woody exchanged looks of guilt. Andy bit his lip and looked down. From what he was getting, Alissa was a brat, what he sometimes saw his little sister as. But he could not, for a million years, imagine what it would be like to lose his little sibling that way. To have no idea what happened to her.

"Didn't his toys, see anything?" asked Andy.

"No," said Barbie. "And even if they did, they couldn't tell anyone. It was left up to the matter of the police, but they never found anything."

They paused and fell into silence once more. From the look of the toys, who had signs of being mangled and tossed around, it seemed they were willing to take a beating for their owner's frustrations.

"That's why you have to stay, the more toys the better," said the super hero toy.

"Better for who?" asked Buzz.

"We have to do this," said Barbie. "Everyone has to participate, for Alissa's sake. To help her."

"Well," said Andy after a pause. "In my opinion, getting tossed around and violently played with isn't helping anybody, especially you. I think the best way to help her is to get her feelings out in the open."

"And how do you propose we do that, boyfriend stealer?"

Andy glared, but continued. "We turn the tables on her."

**Aww. Alissa really did start out as a **_**female**_** version of Sid, but since I was going all out with this story, I decided to include her in what was happening. Her brother's gone missing too. Uh-oh. It gives her an excuse to behave the way she does and why her toys (particularly Barbie) masks their torment with a smile. All they want is to please her, but as Andy pointed it, all it does is further the injury. **

**Can they find some way to help her? And what did Andy mean by turning the tables?**

**Keep reading and you'll find out soon. Keep me posted with reviews! I adore reviews! **


	12. Chapter 12

**disclaimer: I still don't own toy story**

**I'm glad so many of you feel this story is in the spirit of Toy Story. That was the goal. I do picture this fanfic as a movie. Maybe even a video game. That'd be cool, to run around as Andy, but he has no special toy powers.**

**Anyways, in the previous chapter Andy mentioned "Turning the Tables"?**

Surprise Attack

Alissa lay on the livingroom floor, on her stomach, kicking her back legs happily as she watched her favorite movie. A piece of red licorice dangled from her mouth. She grinned and laughed at the dinosaurs on screen, however there were moments when they did get separated. Alissa couldn't help feeling a great saddness at those scenes, reminded of her own separation. But all in all, she still enjoyed it. Just as the movie was heading for a commercial, she glanced toward her room. She may just have time to squeeze in a quick play.

"Okay," said Andy. "Everybody clear on what we gotta do?" His toys, as well as Alissa's were gathered around him, running through the plan one more time.

"I don't know," said Barbie. "What if this makes her not want to play with us anymore?"

Andy would have thought that would be their dream come true. But slowly, he was starting to realize it was something toys wanted. They wanted playtime with their owner, and if they did, it should be safe and fun for them. "She will. And she'll be more gentle."

"But if she doesn't, can we go home with you?" asked the large dark brown bear.

Andy paused and glanced at his own toys. He couldn't possibly bring them all along. And besides that, he was fifteen years old. If they weren't going to get playtime here, how could they expect to get it at his house? But then again, he knew their secret.

"Look, I'm flattered you'd want to come with me, but we're kind of on a dangerous mission right now," Andy explained. "But as long as everything runs smoothly, you don't have to wory about that, alright."

"Somebody's coming!" cried the clown. "I think it's her!"

"But the movie can't be over yet!" cried the robot.

"To your places everyone, hurry!" cried Woody.

Alissa had quickly made her way down the hall and opened the door, giving the toys barely enough time to get away. "Okay everybody, this is going to be quick, but soooo gooood!" she announced as she entered the room. "Huh?"

But she stopped as the first thing she noticed was that her toys weren't where she left them. In fact, she didn't see any of her toys anywhere. She quickly searched the room; moving aside pillows, raising up the covers of her bed, looking behind books. Then she stopped. It was silly. She was acting as if her toys got up and hid somewhere. Just then, she heard a noise, like someone tripping. She turned to her desk and knocked a lamp out her her way. She gasped at the sight that stood before her. A boy, a young boy picking himself up after tripping stared up at her. Alissa stared back, neither one of them able to break the gaze. Andy took a few steps back, but his eyes never left her's. He was reminded of his own reaction to Woody when he found out he was alive. And like Woody, he tried to think up something to say. Of course part of the plan involved acknowledging Alissa, but now that it was happening, he was momentarily afraid of her. _Wonder if this is why toys keep quiet around humans,_ Andy thought.

"Ah, hi Alissa."

Alissa gasped. "You know my name? What are you? A fairy?"

"I ah," Andy started, then he realized what she had called him. "A fairy! Do I look like Tinkerbell?"

"But you're so small, and you talk. You can't be a toy."

"No no, I am not a toy. I'm just a regular person like you, only smaller."

Alissa grinned. "Then we can have some fun." She stretched out her hand for him. Her hand, which was huge compared to Andy's shrunken body. Andy jumped out of the way.

"Whoa whoa whoa, hold on a minute! I'm not here to play. I'm here to tell you something."  
"Oh, what?"

"Well, it's not just me," Andy told her, then he looked around the room and frowned. "I said! It's not just me!"

Alissa turned and gasped as her toys slowly started to appear, walking on their own. They were surrounding her, blocking her exit out the door. Still in their hiding places, Woody, Buzz and the rest of Andy's toys watched from behind the bed.

"Andy's doing great," said Buzz. "This might actually work."

"Don't get ahead of yourself Mr. Spaceman," said Woody. "It was lucky when I did it to Sid." But a small part of him had to admit Andy was pretty clever in a dire situation. Afterall this had been his idea, that was mostly brought on by Woody telling him he'd come to life in front of a kid once. They watched as Alissa backed up against the desk. She seemed to be trembling at the fact that she was trapped in a scene not unlike _Night of the Living Dead._

"What...what's going on?"

"Don't worry Alissa, they aren't going to hurt you," said Andy as he came closer to her on the desk. "We just have something to say. These toys of yours told me how poorly you play with them. Knocking them into one another, roughing them up. It's too violent which made me think you were nothing but a brat. Then they told me about your brother."

Alissa's eyes shot over too him. "My brother! What does my brother have to do with this?"

"Everything. We think that's why you play the way you do. They understand how you must be feeling, but you can't take it out on them."

"I...I...then what should I do?"  
"You should talk to your mom," said Andy. He was pleased that he was able to get through to her so quickly.

"I tried."

"Have you really? Whether you did or not you should try again. Get your feelings out in the open and not let them get bottled up like this. I mean I have a little sibling too and I know how I'd feel if-"

"Alright, your'e right," Alissa interrupted. "I guess I could do that." She turned away from them and over to her closet.

"Oh, oh, well good," Andy complimented. He nodded at the toys and gave them a thumbs up. They had did it. Alissa had agreed to their advice. Now the only problem remained is that she knew their secret. Perhaps they could pass it off as a dream. That this day had been a dream, where she learned a valuable lesson, and the next day everything would be the way it was.

"Or," said Alissa, with her back to the toys as she rumaged through the closet. "I could do this!"

She turned and in her hands was a bat. The toys tensed. Andy turned pale. This was not the reaction she was supposed to have. Clearly he underestimated her level of fear. "Toys aren't supposed to talk!" she cried. "I'll see to that!"

"Everybody run!" cried the dark brown bear. All the toys scattered as Alissa came after them, swinging her bat. Andy watched the scene, horrified. There had been a promise made that this would go smoothly; that no one would get hurt. A couple of her dolls and bears couldn't avoid it as her bat knocked them aside. Barbie made to dive under the bed, but was hit by the bat and slammed into the wall. Many of the toys that witnessed it, cringed. He had to do something.

"Alissa! Stop, please! They're your toys!" Andy cried. "You don't want to hurt your toys! They don't want to hurt you!"

Alissa paused in her rampage and turned to him.

"I'm the one that talks for them and moves them. They're not supposed to be alive...this isn't a horror movie!"

"It's not, Alissa please!"

"And you're not suppose to be so small. Maybe you really are some kind of toy," Alissa decided as she headed his way.

Andy stepped back til he was at the edge of her desk. Now he knew why his toys insisted on not saying anything to humans. They could react like this! Andy covered his face just as Alissa raised her bat. But then she shrieked. Andy peeked and saw a red toy airplane buzzing around her, like a bird pecking away at a mad cat. Alissa dropped the bat and tried to shoo away the plane. But it kept going. Alissa stepped back and tripped over her bat. She fell against her door. She made to climb back up and escape, but something prevented her. Her jump rope was lassoed around her legs and quickly tied into place. Alissa slumped down as her new cowboy doll lead a group of her toys toward her. They were all over her, pinning down her arms.

"I don't think you quite heard what my owner had to say," Woody told her.

"Y-your owner?" she asked, frightened.

Woody nodded toward Andy who was watching with amazment at the fast acting toys. But still, the plan hadn't gone smoothly. In the end, the toys had to take over. He knew he probably shouldn't be surprised. They knew more about these kinds of things than he did. They knew how to deal with the limits of being small and when it would not be a good idea to talk to people. Talking to Alissa, so far, seemed to not be a good idea. But maybe there was still hope for her. A firetruck, blaring its alarms, rolled up to the desk and a small fireman, that looked like one of those armless preschoold toys, hopped out and hit the side. A long ladder stretched up to meet Andy. He nodded to the fireman and stepped out on. It retracted and brought him down on the truck.

"Let's go!" Andy ordered. The fireman hopped into position and caused the truck to zoom over to Alissa. Andy stepped out and approached her. Alissa wiggled helplessly in fear. He was glad she was too scared to scream for her babysitter.

"Listen Alissa, it's like Woody said."  
"He's your toy?" she asked him.

"That's right," Andy answered. Then Rex, Buzz, Hamm, Slinky and Mr. Potato Head walked over to him. "These are all my toys."

"But then-"  
"That's right, I'm not a toy. I'm a kid just like you." He paused. He still wanted her to learn a lesson here. The first try didn't go so well, so maybe he had a chance at another. "And just like you, I used to...treat my toys the same way." He didn't turn around to look, but he knew his toys were giving him odd looks.

"What?" whispered Rex. "I don't remember Andy ever playing with us like that."  
"Sshh!" Buzz hushed him.

"And I paid for it. That's why I'm in the shape I'm in; or rather the size. Because of my toys." He looked to them and motioned for them to take part. Woody and Buzz exchanged looks and took the hint. And as if they had suddenly become zombies, they extended their arms and creeped up to her. Alissa's own toys followed, adding moans to their actions. Alissa wiggled even more. "They did this to me because of what I did to them, and I don't want the same thing to happen to you. So if you don't want that, then I suggest you take our advice. Stop treating your toys this way and talk to your mom about your feelings."

"Okay, Okay! I'll do it. I'll talk to mom, just don't shrink me!"

Andy nodded, pleased. He could tell it was the end of her rage. They had scared her into being open and being more gentle.

"Fair enough," said Andy.

Upon realizing this, the toys untied her and stepped off her shaking body. Alissa stood up and stared down at them. She was suddenly overcome with saddness. "We did used to have some good times, before my brother...disappeared."  
"And you can still have those good times, if you change the way you play with them."

Alissa nodded.  
"Alissa!" Tiffany cried. "What's going on in there? Are you crying or something?"

"No, everything's fine!" Alissa cried. "Now."

"Okay. You're mom's back!"

"My mom?" Alissa gasped. She turned and hurried out of the room, but not before peeking her head back inside. "I'll, try what you said; about talking to mom. I felt I needed to anyways."

"Good for you Alissa," said Barbie. Andy and the rest of her toys nodded. Then she shut the door. Andy turned to all the toys and folded his arms.

"Well, I think that went well."

"Yeah, except for the bat-swinging part," Hamm agreed.

As the toys started to see if everyone else was alright, Barbie approached him.

"I think she really means it. She's going to be her old self again," she told him. Then she reached for her head. "And I think that bat-swinging part actually helped. I think I'm cured. Look Woody, no more head spin, or stuttering speech!" She hurried up to Woody and gazed dreamily in his eyes. Woody started to back away slowly.

"Ah, yeah, that's great," said Woody.

"Now we can be together," Barbie stated as she took his hand.

"Ah, actually he's taken," said Andy. "By a cute little porcelain doll at my house."

"I told you before we are not.." Woody started, but upon the look on Barbie's face, he quickly agreed, for his sake. "Oh, I mean yeah yeah, I'm already taken."

"Aww," Barbie sighed.

"Don't worry about it Barbie," said Andy. "I think a Ken doll is more suited for you anyways."

"Oooh, Ken. Now there's a real man!" she stated dreamily.

"Hey!" Woody said, finding himself suddenly offended.

"Easy there cowboy, we've got more pressing matters to deal with," said Buzz.

"Yeah, like how we're going to get out of this room," said Slinky.

"We can't go the same way we came in," said Mr. Potato Head. "Alissa's mom is here. There's too many people around."

Buzz scanned the room. There were a few things about that may be useful to them. One of them was a small group of balloons tied to the back of the bed, and a kite.  
"I guess we'll just have to fly out of here," Buzz announced.

In the livingroom, Alissa's mother had returned to retrieve a folder of papers she had forgotten.

"I can't believe I left these behind," she told Tiffany. "Well, I guess I can believe it. That child's caused me to have a mental breakdown. It's a wonder I don't forget to put on a skirt in the morning. She hasn't been any trouble has she?"

"Not that much Mrs. Anderson," replied Tiffany. "Although I did hear her crying just before you came home."  
"Crying?" she asked. And at that moment, Alissa came running into the livingroom. She appeared pale and there seemed to be signs of tears on her cheeks.

"Mommy mommy!" Alissa cried as she practically jumped into her arms.

"Alissa honey, what's the matter? Did something scare you?" her mother asked.

Alissa nodded as she rubbed her eyes. "It did, I had this crazy delusion that my toys came alive."

Tiffany and her mother stared.

"Ah Tiff, can you give us a moment here?" her mother asked.

"Sure," said Tiffany as she left them to their privacy.

Mrs. Anderson carried Alissa to the sofa and sat her on her lap. "When did this happen?"

"Just a few minutes ago."  
"Oh, did they try to hurt you?" she asked. She took a second to glance at the clock. She really didn't have time for this. Whatever nightmare Alissa had could wait. But she just seemed so shaken.

"No, but they did tell me I should do something."

"What's that sweetheart?"

"They said...I should talk to you about how I felt about...about my brother disappearing."

Mrs. Anderson paused. She hadn't expected that. She sighed and stared into her daughter's eyes. It had been so difficult to sit down and have a conversation about the matter. She was just so distraught over the whole matter, she didn't know how to talk about it with her.

"We never really did talk about it properly did we?" she asked. Alissa shook her head. "Alright, let's talk."

"But...but what about work?" asked Alissa.

Mrs. Anderson looked at the folder in her hand, then set it to the side. "It can wait."

**You know, plot ideas are starting to stem from previous TS movies, however with a couple of changes. Alissa doesn't freak out like Sid, but attacks and learns a lesson in the end. Originally, they were just going to scare her and that's it, but Andy and her toys did want to help her and it would be good of me to tie up a loose end with Alissa's emotions. Still, there's the issue of her brother and many many more crazy things to come.**

**Keep reading and enjoying and reviewing!**


	13. Chapter 13

**disclaimer: I don't own toy story**

**That last chapter marked the end of the Alissa saga (as I like to call it) now it's time for us to get back on the journey to restoring Andy. Oh, and didn't Buzz mention something about flying? **

A Calling

"Fly!" Andy, along with all his other toys announced in surprise.

"Ah Buzz," said Woody. "I don't know if Alissa cracked your head when she was bashing us together, but we've been through this before. You can't fly."

"The rest of us aren't exactly built with plastic wings you know," said Mr. Potato Head.

"No no no, I don't mean that, I mean, with a few items in the room," Buzz explained. "Those balloons should guide us safely down to the ground, one at a time I mean."

Woody and the gang glanced at the balloons tied to Alissa's bed. Then Woody turned back to Buzz.

"But-"

"We don't exactly have a lot of time Woody," said Buzz.

"He's right," said Andy. "I don't think Alissa will be coming to our aide any time soon, with her mom here. And in case you've forgotten, I still want to get back to normal."

Woody exchanged a skeptical look with the other toys.

Woody stared down from the window to see just how high up they were. He wasn't sure how many stories it was, but to him it felt like well over a hundred. He looked back around as Buzz was untying a balloon.

"I hope Alissa doesn't mind," said Slinky. "After what we put her through."

"Don't worry about it," said a plush babydoll. "She buys new balloons in the park almost every weekend."

"Okay, who's first?" Buzz asked. He jumped down from the post of the bed with a red balloon. He walked over to Woody at the window. "How about you Woody?"

"Wha, me? Oh no, no no no, not without Andy."  
"I said one at a time."

"I'm going to wait. Let someone else have my turn," Woody announced as he folded his arms.

"Woody," said Andy. "You don't have to babysit me, I'll be fine."

"Ah, it's not that," Woody answered sheepishly. "I'm just, not so sure I trust Buzz's idea. Let someone else test it first."

Andy nodded, but Woody couldn't fool him. He was touched Woody was so worried about him. His toy, worried about his boy. Andy wondered how often the cowboy worried about him. Of course he wasn't exactly a kid anymore. He could handle himself, but considering the situation, he supposed it created extra worry on Woody's part.

"Hey why do I gotta go first?" Mr. Potato Head asked.

"Sombody has to and it doesn't really matter."

"You can't fool me Buzz," Mr. Potato Head answered. "If I hit that pavement, I won't have a problem picking up the pieces again; that's it isn't it?"

"Oh would you go already!" Hamm cried.

Mr. Potato Head growled, but followed the order. He glanced down, then after a deep breath, he stepped off the edge. At first it looked like it had failed as everyone rushed to the window as he quickly dropped out of sight. But he signaled that he was okay as he started to float down slowly.

"Hey! You guys gotta try this!" he yelled at them.

Buzz gave a sigh of relief. "Okay, who's next?"

Hamm came gliding down, holding onto a bright green balloon. After him, floating just above was Rex with a purple balloon. He looked down noticing Hamm and gasped.

"I wanted the green balloon!" he cried to him.

"All right, lend me fifty cents and I'll trade yah," Hamm agreed.

After Rex was Slinky, who's yellow balloon's string was tied up in his coils.

At the window sill only Woody, Buzz and Andy were left. Though Woody had been in a few situations dealing with heights, he was still pretty nervous about it.

"All right cowboy, your turn," said Buzz as he held out an orange balloon for him. Woody looked at it, then he looked back at the bed. That was the last balloon. If he took it, how was he and Andy supposed to get down?

"That's the last balloon! I told you I'm not leaving without Andy!"

"I know another way we can get down," said Buzz. "Trust me."

"Trust you? You mean the way I did before that street sweeper came along!"

"That was not my fault. And besides that, we don't know how Andy's human weight will affect the balloon."  
"Then you should have thought of that before you came up with this stupid idea!"

"Guys guys guys, stop fighting!" Andy ordered as he jumped between them. "Woody take the balloon and make sure the others don't get separated. And trust Buzz, I'll be fine."

"But Andy."  
"Please, just go," Andy told him. Though he promised he wouldn't hurry as much, he didn't want to risk anymore time. Woody sighed and took the balloon. But before he stepped out the window, he turned to Buzz.

"You better make sure no harm comes to Andy," he warned.

"That won't be a problem," Buzz promised. And with that, Woody jumped out the window, allowing the balloon to guide him safely down.

Once he was gone, Andy sighed. There were no more balloons, so how were they supposed to get down? Buzz didn't seem concerned as he stepped over to Alissa's kite. It was light green with lightning bolts, and shaped like a triangle. Andy assumed it may have been a toy Alissa found, as it didn't look like the kind of thing a girl would own. Buzz turned it over and began messing with the kite's handle bar and strings.

"What are you doing?" Andy asked.

"Making our form of escape."

"A kite?"

"Not anymore."

Andy studied the way Buzz tied the strings and handle bar and noticed it was looking more like a glider. However the handle space seemed small.

"This is going to work right?" Andy asked.

"Sure it will," said Buzz as he jumped up onto the toy box. "Help me with this will you." Andy grabbed a side of the kite and pushed it up to Buzz. He pulled it up next to him, then looked down at Andy. "Alright Andy, let's get going."  
"Let's?"

"We can both go down together. This kite's big enough to support our weight."

Andy pulled himself up onto the toy box and studied the kite closer. He wasn't so sure about this, yet he was the one who told Woody to trust him. How would it look if he backed out of Buzz's idea. Minutes were going by and he hated the idea that something would happen to his toys yet again if he didn't hurry and join them. "All right," he agreed. They set it up and got into position. It was a tight squeeze between them on the handle, but it wasn't too uncomfortable.

"Oh Andy, that's your name right?"

Andy turned around to Barbie. "Be sure to take good care of my ex-boyfriend."

"Ah, sure," Andy promised. "Let's go Buzz."

"Right!"

With a tight grip on the handle, they leaped out the window. A sudden rush of wind caught them and took them a little higher than expected. Their grip tightened, especially when they started to drift downwards. Andy quickly realized they weren't going to be floating down safely in one spot.

"Ah, Buzz!"

"I've got it!" He shifted his weight and got the kite, now glider back on course. It sailed about the inner city, soaring above the trees. They were spreading some distance from Alissa's apartment and even from where the rest of the gang had landed, but at the moment they were far too caught up in the flight to be concerned. It was flying, real flying, just as Buzz once experienced after he and Woody narrowly escaped being blown to bits by Sid's rocket. Buzz laughed in triumph and even Andy had to admit he was starting to enjoy this. He had never been particularly crazy about heights, but now he was actually glad Buzz suggested this solution. Never before had he experienced such a sight, and from up above. Sailing over the hum drum traffic, above the heads of pedestrians oblivious of them, and traveling under the windows of rising buildings. If there was anything good about being small at the moment, it was to experience the large city from his small point of view. To see the city from this height, in this way. He had never glided before and he was sure when he returned to normal, he might end up doing a lot more of it.

"This is great!" Andy shouted, enjoying the wind rustling through his hair.

"Ha, to infinity and beyond!" Buzz cried.

Andy chanced a glance behind him as he thought of what he was leaving behind. "We'd better not end up getting too far from the others. We can't get separated again!"

"Right you are Andy!" Together, they shifted their weight and this time the glider made a turn. It circled back around, headed for where his toys should have landed. Then another sudden wind came up and turned the glider on its side. Buzz yelled for Andy to hold on as it dipped and came down, headed for the trees. Branches smacked them as they went crashing through. The ground was coming up to them quickly. At the last minute, Buzz cried for them to let go. They did just as the kite crashed into the ground. Luckily Andy and Buzz didn't hit the dirt as hard. They stood and brushed themselves off.

"Are you all right Andy?" Buzz asked as he looked around.

"Yeah."

They then looked at the kite. It was unusable now.

"Remind me to pay for that, later," said Andy.

"As you wish," said Buzz, as he waved an arm to make sure it wasn't damaged. "But I'm not so sure you carried that much money in Hamm."

Andy smiled. "Good piloting space ranger, and awesome idea. It's one of the best things I've ever experienced."

"Glad to be of service," said Buzz as he saluted.

"Andy! Oh Andy are you all right!"

They turned to see Woody hurrying up to meet them. Behind him, the rest of his toys were coming together. "Yeah yeah Woody, I'm all right. Buzz saw to that."

"Oh, well, I guess I owe you a thanks," Woody told him.

"No need Woody. We all have the same goal here," said Buzz.

"Yes, and let's continue that goal before you guys get picked up again," said Andy. They regrouped as they prepared to continue their interrupted journey.

Considering where they were, it wasn't going to be easy; the inner city. And considering their minature size, it could take up to three days to get home. But of course it was Andy thinking this way. He did not consider hitchhiking. It was kind of odd to consider when the idea came about. After years of being told how dangerous it was, it was his best and quickest way home. But still Andy was concerned. They would have the alleyways and the darkness of night for cover, and that was about it. It was so risky Andy thought their best chances would be to swim back up the pipes that brought them here.

The group was slowly heading down an alleyway around Alissa's apartment, with Woody and Buzz in the lead. They were going to stick to the streets for as long as they could allow it, then hitch a ride, if they were lucky. Andy followed along, rubbing his arms as his thoughts drifted elsewhere completely. Aside from still getting used to the fact that this had happened, he couldn't help wondering if he would succeed in getting back to normal. That in turn led to wondering about what his mom would think. _Mom,_ he thought sadly to himself. He couldn't help missing her at that moment. Maybe because he was in the company of toys and was lonely for human company. Or maybe, and he was sure this was the reason, he had just left a home where a child and mother were reconnecting. Even though he wasn't a little kid that needed constant guidance from a parent, he felt he greatly needed it from her now. Whether it was to confess what was going on, or just to hear her voice and know he had somewhere to return to.

"Everything okay Andy?" asked Hamm, who had caught the worried look on his face.

Andy turned to look at him, and in turn, Woody and Buzz looked around.

"Oh ah, yeah, I guess."

"You can't fool us," said Slinky. "If something's on your mind you can tell us all about it."

"Well, actually there is," Andy admitted. "I don't know why, but all of a sudden I just really miss home."  
"I think we all do," said Mr. Potato Head.

"I miss mom," Andy continued. "I should have called her before I left the house. She probably tried to call me, and maybe even Jen. The last thing I want her to do is worry."

Everyone was silent as they digested his feelings. Despite Andy's bravery, they were sure that deep down, he was scared. A human wasn't meant to experience the world this way, nor would he be used to it. But it was still the first day. No doubt the touching moment in the apartment where Alissa agreed to talk to her mom had affected Andy. But there was nothing they could do about it at the moment.

"Hey, what if I call her," he said as if it were the greatest idea in the world. Everyone stopped in their tracks.

"Ah, call?" asked Rex.

"You don't even have your cell phone with you," Mr. Potato Head reminded him.

"I don't need my cell phone, I can use a payphone. And I've got the change to pay." He nodded at Hamm who simply raised his eyebrows. He looked at the other toys who started to consider this idea, if it would please Andy.

"Hold on here guys," Woody warned. "Have you forgotten we're on a mission? And besides that, do you really expect us to make a call in the middle of the day, with people around?"

"Payphones aren't that popular around here Woody," said Andy. "I'm sure we can find one, close by and out of the way of crowds. And it won't be a long call, I promise. I just want to let her know I'm okay."

Andy's pleading seemed to be enough, but before the cowboy could agree to it, Andy went running down the alleyway.

"Andy wait!" Woody called. He turned to the other toys in annoyance. "Come on."

At one end of the alley, there was indeed a payphone. The outside looked terrible as it was covered in paint and graffiti. The trashy scene surrounding it wasn't appealing, so most likely few people would be using it. In fact, there were very few people walking by in this area. Andy looked at it, determined.

The other toys caught up to him just as he started studying the number of people coming by.

"Okay, after that lady passes, we'll make a break for it," he ordered.

"Andy would ya..."  
"It's our best chance Woody," Buzz interupted. "Get ready."

"Hold on here!"

"And now!"

They quickly dashed across the pavment and into the half opened phone booth. Woody had hesitated before he had to hurry across. He leaned against the inside and peered out of the glass, inbetween the painted covers of the booth. He turned back around, ready to tell Andy that he should be more careful and was met with an unusual sight. The toys had quickly built a pyramid in order for Andy to reach the phone. Hamm was on the bottom, followed by Buzz who held up Rex. Potato Head was standing on his head, holding up Slink's hinde legs as he stretched Andy up to the phone. They swayed about dangerously. Woody knew one wrong move would send them crashing to the ground.

"Andy!" he whispered loudly. "You guys!"

"Keep still down there!" Potato Head scolded to Rex.

"Ah, I'll try. I thought I wasn't moving!"

"Quiet!" Buzz ordered.

With a big enough stretch, Andy was able to reach the phone and guide it safely down to the phone's shelf. Then upon instinct he reached into his pockets for change. He looked down where Woody had his arms folded, looking up at them as if they were the dumbest circus act in the world.

"Ah Woody, you mind loaning me the seventy five cents. I'm sure I left some in Hamm!"

Hamm grinned as if he were quite pleased with himself. "I knew I'd come in handy."

Woody sighed and stepped over to Hamm. Feeling slightly uncomfortable at first, Woody reached under and pulled out Hamm's cork. Coins came falling out. Woody took the amount Andy needed and one at a time, tossed a coin up to him. It was a struggle just to get the coin in the slot without everyone tumbling over, but Andy managed. After that, he quickly called his mom's cell.

"After all this, she'd better pick up," Mr. Potato Head complained.

"It's ringing," said Andy.

After three rings, a voice picked up on the other end. "Hello?" Andy hesitated. Even though it was just last night, he felt like he hadn't heard her voice in many days. "Hello?"

"Hell-o? Mom?"

"Andy? Is that you? I didn't recognize the number."

"Yeah well, I'm kinda not home at the moment and I left my phone at home," he explained. "You didn't try to call did you?"

"Actually I was just about to? And what's this about not being home? I already know that. How's the camping going?"  
"Well see that's what I wanted to tell you about. In case you heard it from Jen." Andy paused and glanced down at Woody, who didn't know what he should say. But from his look Woody was sure it wasn't a good idea for him to tell the whole truth. He considered telling her he canceled the trip and had just stayed home, but then he worried his mom might not trust him to go on another trip like that. She already didn't trust him alone in the house.

"The adventure's going good," Andy quickly explained. He glanced down at his toys who were all looking up at him. "What," he whispered to them. "It's not like it isn't true. This is an adventure, sort of."

"That's great honey. I was starting to worry. I wanted either you or Jen to contact me."  
"Yeah well, come to think of it, I think it might be unlikely she'd call you anyways. She's got her mind on other things."

"Yeah, and his name is Thomas Wilkers," Potato Head snickered.

Andy wanted to stomp down on his shoe, but knowing it would cause a fall, he simply grumbled. "Anyways, I just wanted to let you know that, I'm okay." _For now,_ he thought. "And, I'll probably be doing so many things I won't have time to get back to you."

"I'm sure you can squeeze in just a little time," his mom insisted.

"I don't know. There's a lot I want to do right now. And besides that, this is the great outdoors, so I shouldn't really be concerning myself with electronics right?"

"Well, I suppose that makes sense. All right."  
"How's Molly and, your friend Sarah?"  
"They're doing well. Would you like to talk to Molly?" she asked. On the other end, in the background, Andy could hear Molly give a loud "No!" His mom got off briefly to tell her how rude she was being, but she didn't care.

"Ah, it's all right mom, mom? Yeah, I'll see her and you when you get back."

"Well all right."

"You're still coming at the end of the week right?"

"Yes dear, I can't wait to see you and hear all about your trip."  
"Yeah," Andy agreed nervously. "Me too. Bye mom."

"Bye Andy."

Andy listened until the phone clicked off. He stared back at it as if he could see right through it and see his mom. But the connection had broken. If she only knew what had happened to him. Andy sighed. He looked up at the phone hook and decided the challenge to replace the phone wasn't worth it. At the moment, he wasn't sure if he was happier after talking to his mom, or if it made him feel sad and lonely.

"All right guys, let's see if we can..."

"Rex, be still," Buzz ordered.

"I'm trying!"

"Hey, you wanna knock it off?" Hamm asked. But before balance could be regained from the wobbling bunch, they tumbled over. Andy saved himself by grabbing on the edge of the phone shelf. Below him, his toys had fallen over in a pile. Andy's own fingers were slipping, and by the time he heard Woody cry out his name, he fell on top of the pile. But he was all right.

"Oooww."

Woody walked up to them, slightly amused.

"You guys okay?" he asked.

"Never, been better," said Potato Head, who's potato body was completely free of his eyes, ears and nose after they'd been knocked off in the fall. "I sure hope it was worth it kid."  
"It was," Andy agreed. He had to admit he actually felt a lot better now.

"Then mission accomplished," Buzz stated.

There was a pause in the pile, to which Hamm broke the silence. "So, what now?"

Andy answered it, or rather his grumbling stomach did. "How about lunch? I'm hungry."

**I mentioned that sewer ride was inspired by Ratatouille. Well, the balloon escape might have been inspired by Up. But it did allow the toys to get out of the apartment fast enough. And, what I like most, it gave Andy and Buzz a little time together (if not being very short). I think we all recall a similar flying scene from TS 1. Now Andy had his chance to soar. **

**Don't think I forgot Andy hadn't talked to mom. He had to let her know something in case she called him. Wasn't sure if I should have Andy lie and say he cancelled the trip and was at home; it won't be altogether true later on. It was just a nice warm moment in the middle of all the craziness.**

**So we're back on the journey, and someone's getting a little hungry. Hmm. What is the best place for someone Andy's size to eat?**

**Thanks for the reviews and keep them coming and I'll update soon. **


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer: I don't own Toy Story**

**Sorry it took a while to write; this was a long chapter to write. I gotta tell ya this chapter was almost not included in the story. But it had to be as Andy is getting hungry. And besides that, we needed a little fun and break from the drama.**

Fun time for Lunch time

Just across the street from where they were now, was a hot spot for food and cool deserts. It was "Hot SPot Pizzeria", a popular food hang out for teens in the city. It was like a Pizza Planet for older kids, as well as little. Andy gazed at it longingly as his stomach grumbled. He peeked out from behind some trash cans along with the rest of his toys. He couldn't miss their wary looks. Clearly they didn't like the idea of going in there. Neither did Andy after what he'd gone through with Alissa. He wasn't sure what would happen if another person saw him like this. He felt slightly selfish for wanting this, but he had to eat. All he had in his pockets were soggy pieces of chips and pretzels. He wished he would have taken Buzz's advice and brought more food with him, but it might have gotten lost anyways during the unexpected water ride down the sewer. Another problem was crossing the street. They'd been through it once and it was a disaster. This time was ten times worse with the heavy traffic. Their only best way across was crossing at the crosswalk. The only problem was they weren't human; at least not all of them were. But the delicious aroma from the Hot SPot could not be denied by any teen, not even Andy.

"How exactly are we supposed to get over there?" asked Mr. Potato Head.

"I don't know, but it's not like we haven't been able to overcome situations like this before," said Andy.

"Hmm, I think we've become a bad influence on you," said Hamm.

They watched passerby for some time. Andy was getting restless in the wait. Just when he was thinking his only source of food would have to come from a garbage can, a woman with a wide stroller came along, chatting on her phone. They could hear the baby wailing loudly, so much so that the woman paused in her outting to check on him.

"No no, I'm on my way right now. What's the matter Sammy? Huh. Oh, I'm heading to this boutique before I come over. It's a really cute little shop, right around the corner of the Hot SPot. Yeah okay. Bye bye." The woman clicked off her phone and went to check on her baby again. After a minute of quieting him down, she went to move the stroller to the crosswalk. Little did she know she was harboring extra passengers. While the woman was distracted, the gang hurried into the bottom basket of the stroller, unseen and out of sight. It didn't matter if she was going to the boutique, they would be crossing the street.

Inside, Andy made himself comfortable in the basket's cloth bottom. But he worried the woman might reach down into their department for a bottle. It was unlikely as Sammy was no longer crying.

"Get that thing away from me before you splash me in the eyes. I don't have many of them you know," whispered Mr. Potato Head. Andy turned and noticed a baby bottle was leaning close to him because Rex was leaning on it. Rex moved it out of the way.

"Oh, sorry."

Andy sighed. "I'm guessing this will be our best way to head home after this? Hitchiking I mean."

"Looks that way," said Woody. "That's how we always managed to get around, when we were on our own."

"And how many times have you been on your own?"

Woody and Buzz glanced at each other. "Ah, why don't we save that story for now," answered Buzz. "Right now we need to get you sustenance."

The trip across the street didn't take long and before they knew it, they were nearing the boutique. Fortune fell upon them again when the woman was distracted with a sudden break of her heel. While she was complaining, the group quickly hurried out and headed down another, more narrow alley way. It lead to the back of the buildings on this corner. With just the right turn, they'd find themselves at where they really wanted to go.

"Come on," Andy told them as he led them on. They headed onward until they reached the back entrance of the pizzeria."There it is. Okay guys, you can wait back here while I-"

"Hold on a second. I think this time we should be handling the situation," said Woody. "Me and a select few. You can wait back here with the others."  
"What? Why do I have to stay behind? I'm the one that's hungry."  
"Yeah and we're the ones who know a bit more about sneaking around humans," Woody informed him. "In case you don't remember, Alissa almost killed you."

"Look it won't be a problem okay. The people in there will be so busy with cooking and eating they won't even notice me. And besides that, this is a place for humans, not toys."

"I don't think you can make that argument in the size you're in. I think you should-"  
"I think," Buzz interrupted. "Woody may have a point."  
"Huh?" Andy questioned. Woody too looked a little surprised. It seemed the first time in a long time that the space ranger was on his side.  
"The less of these situations you find yourself in Andy, the better. Besides you've done plenty when you came to save Woody and me."  
"Don't forget, I was there too!" Rex reminded him.

"And what about us?" asked Mr. Potato Head. "I suppose we were accessories when we came along with Andy?"

"Who's going to stay behind?" asked Slinky.

"Hmm, how about you me and Rex?" asked Buzz. "Is that all right with you guys?"

"Sure, I'll be a look out," said Mr. Potato Head as he pulled out his eyes and moved them about.

"That's fine by me," said Woody. "Let's go." They started to head for the back door where a man kept coming in and out as he took out the garbage, when Andy called them back.

"See if you can get ahold of a nice cheesy slice of pizza. Light on the parmesan. Not too much sauce. With lots of pepporoni and mushrooms. No olives."

Woody tried to keep from being annoyed, but his face clearly showed it. "Anything else?" he asked in a bored tone.

Andy thought for a minute. "No, that's it."

Woody Hamm and Mr. Potato Head patiently waited for their moment to slip inside. The back door was quite heavy, so it swung slowly when it closed. It gave them plenty of time to slip in. They were instantly in the kitchen and able to hide themselves behind tables and large cooking machinery. Once they were sure they were safe from the cooks, Woody turned to the others.

"All right, all we gotta do is find anything edible."

"So, you won't be trying to track down that cheesy slice of pizza that's light on the parmesan, with little sauce, lots of pepporoni and mushrooms and no olives?" Hamm asked.

"We don't have a lot of time here. Andy will just have to make do with what we find."

"Hi guys!"

They all jumped and turned to see Rex.

"Rex, what are you doing here!" Woody demanded.

"Well, I wanted to help and they said I could come."

Woody seemed to be choking on a variety of things he wanted to said. But he couldn't find the right words. He sighed as he cast his eyes around the kitchen.

"Fine. But we'd better be extra careful."

With a careful study of the kitchen, they saw that things seemed to move in an orderly manner. It was divided into stations as far as they could see. Cooks rolling out pizza dough in one area, while in another area was the stoves where the hot fresh pies were brought out. There was another area where a cook prepared them for the customers either in boxes or on plates. Woody shook his head. This was looking less and less like a good idea. He wished Andy didn't talk him into this, but how could he resist. He was his toy, his best friend. He would do just about anything for him. Even sneak into a pizzeria.

"All right guys, here's the plan. I'll sneak over to the boxes and grab a slice. They'll be short one, but it's not like they can't make more."

"What about the rest of us, what did we come along for?" asked Mr. Potato Head.

"We didn't know what it was going to be like in here. But it will be safer this way."

"Oh sure, because you get to play the hero."

Woody didn't argue. Instead he dashed across the room, sneaking in and out of hiding places like a rat trying not to get caught. Woody made it all the way over to the table of boxes and looked up just as a large man with a large round nose and red face was placing a pizza into one.

"Is that the pepporoni and mushroom for Adams?" asked one of the cooks.

"No, a medium supreme with anchoivies for Darrels."

Woody frowned and shrugged. It would have to do. He didn't want him or the others in this kitchen any longer than they had to be. When the large man walked away, Woody proceeded to climb up the table. He could do this. He knew he could. And while he was doing that, the other toys were watching and waiting as patiently as they could. Rex, however, wasn't too patient and before he knew it he was distracted by something more interesting. A cook had just passed by pulling several cartons of ice-cream on a trolley.

"Hey guys! Andy's gonna need desert!"

"Wait what?" Hamm asked. But when he turned around, Rex had already jumped onto the trolley.

"All right guys," Woody whispered to himself. He had just managed to lift a large slice of pizza over his head, the melted cheese dripping onto his beloved hat, and was preparing to jump down when he saw Rex jump onto the ice-cream cart. He stared in disbelief as the others chased after him. _This cannot be happening! _he thought angrily. Suddenly there was a scream. It was coming from the large man who was suddenly staring back at the cowboy. Woody dropped the pizza and jumped down from the table. Before the large man could catch where he ran off to, another cook approached him.

"What is it Larry? What's the matter with you?" a short -tempered cook asked him.

"There was a, a, little man!" he cried. "on the table. He was about to take the pizza!"

"Little, man?" asked the cook, completely confused.

Larry nodded.

"Then where is he now?" Larry looked about where he last saw Woody, but the cowboy was no where to be seen.

"I know I saw him, he was here just a minute ago."

"Listen Larry, I don't mean to embarrass you, but lay off the sauce."

The trolley of ice-cream carried Hamm, Potato Head and Rex into the desert part of the kitchen. When the cook stepped away, Rex was able to get a better view of the types of ice-cream she carried. He leaned over yellows and pinks and browns and even a blue, but the color that caught his attention was green. Rex looked into the cream curiously as Hamm and Potato Head joined him.

"How about this one? It's green, like me."  
"That's lime sherbert," said Hamm as he read the label on the side.

"So? Andy doesn't like lime?"

"Who cares, Andy didn't even ask for desert. We've got to get out of here," said Mr. Potato Head.

"But...the sherbert," said Rex longingly. He wasn't sure why he was so insistance. Perhaps it was because he was with Andy and he wanted to make their time together as special as possible. Even though he didn't ask for it, Rex wanted to surprise him. He was also hoping, just slightly, it would induce an interest of playtime in the growing boy. Possibly it would be a bonus if the ice-cream were green and reminded him of his old dino friend.

"Guys! What are you doing?" Woody cried as he came up to them.

"Just trying to decide what ice-cream goes best with pizza," said Hamm.

"Get out of here now!"

But it was too late as they heard the worker coming back in. Woody shouted for them to hide and they scattered. All of them, except Rex who panicked and dove into the lime sherbert ice-cream. From their hiding spots on the floor under the tables, Woody and the others were forced to watch helplessly as she started to load some of the ice-cream into a large freezer. Another worker came up to her.

"You need any help Crystal?"

"No no, I got it. The ones we're out of is chocolate chip and lime sherbert right?" Crystal asked. Her co-worker nodded, then she took the chocolate chip ice-cream and carried it away. Crystal removed the lime sherbert from the trolley and followed her. Woody could only assume they were taking the ice-cream out in front to the public. If any kid happened to ask for lime, they'd get one heck of a surprise that beat anything a kid got from a cereal box. Woody bit his fingers as if he had nails. He didn't see any way out for Rex unless someone did ask for lime.

Crystal loaded the carton into an empty slot next to other full cartons of ice-cream that were positioned behind the glass freezer for the public to see. If Rex so much as moved a toe, he could easily draw attention to himself as being a living ingredient to the sherbert. It just so happened a small boy was peering curiously into the glass at all the ice-cream. When he caught sight of the lime being placed in, he pointed it out to a young woman. "Can I have some, please mom?"

"Danny, I told you you were supposed to cut down on such sweets."

"Please?" he begged.

"All right, which one do you want?"

"The green."

She laughed and ordered a scoop of lime sherbert on a cone. Crystal took the money then proceeded to fill the child's request. One by one, the layers were scooped away, until Crystal hit something hard. "What the.." she paused as she saw something that was darker green than the ice-cream sticking out of the sherbert. She set the cone aside and pulled it out. The boy cheered and clapped at the sight, while his mother looked on in disgust. Crystal looked confused as she stared at the green plastic dinosaur.

"What the...?"

"I've heard of putting prizes in cereal boxes, but in food? It's not sanitary. I want my money back now!" the boy's mom demanded. Crystal tried to laugh it off. To explain that she didn't understand how it got there, but the mom wasn't listening. She sighed and promised to pay her back once she got rid of the dino. She walked back into the kitchen and set Rex in the sink. He'd arrived just as Woody was starting to really panic. Rex had been discovered, as a toy that was being discarded in the sink. Crystal then left to deal with the mom. Rex peeked up over the edge and waved down to Woody and the others as they came out of their hiding places. Rex managed to get a good whiff of his lime coated body.

"Hey guys! I really do think Andy would like this!"

"Never mind that Rex!" Woody cried. "Get down n...wait wait wait!"

There was the sound of someone coming into the kitchen again. A man carrying a small pizza box that must be for the kid's meal. From the other side of the kitchen, Larry came through, wiping his brow nervously.

"What's the matter with you Lar?"  
"Oh... nothing Bob. Where you going with that pizza?"

"Kid didn't want it. Says it's wrong. He wanted a plain cheesy pizza, not a cheesey pepporoni and mushroom with olives." Bob set the pizza out of the way on the table. Woody stared at it. It could be their last chance at getting food for Andy. Bob left the kitchen and Larry walked out through a side door, still patting his brow. This was their chance. Woody whistled for them to appear. As they were coming out, Woody was heading up the small table. It was a good thing the pizza was unwanted, that way they wouldn't have to worry about pay. Since the box was small, Woody thought it would be easier just to take the whole thing. It was slightly heavy, but he managed to lift it over his head.

"Okay guys, coming down!"

Hamm, Mr. Potato Head and Rex moved closer together and were able to catch the box as it fell down to them. Woody jumped down and took an end of the box as well.

"Alright, let's head out, and be careful."  
"Wait a minute," said Hamm. "Didn't Andy say he didn't want olives?"  
"He can pick them off now will you come on before somebody else sees us!"

"Th...th...th..the little man!"

They turned to see that Larry had walked back into the kitchen and was pointing straight at the cowboy. He then took notice of the other toys.

"That's it fellas, _Run!_" Woody cried. He hurried under the box and carried the weight himself as he ran. The others came behind him. Larry freaked out and grabbed a broom.

"Come back here with that pizza!"

He took a whack at them, his main target being the cowboy, but Woody was able to swerve out of the way at Hamm's commands. They were all over the place and so was Larry. His panic caused him to swing all around, knocking down pots and sending plates crashing to the floor. Woody paused at one point to check the other part of the kitchen. He called to the guys and they hurried out.

"Oh no you don't little man!" Larry cried. "You'll buy a pizza like everyone else!"

As he came swinging through, he bumped into the short-tempered cook who just happened to be carrying a large pizza on a platter. It went flying into the air and got stuck on the ceiling.

"Larry what are you..."

"The little man! He's stealing the...pizza!" He cried. His broom was wrecking the kitchen, so much so the cooks were more focused on him than they were on pizza stealing toys. Workers dived this way and that to avoid being hit. Some were unsuccessful and found themselves slipping and falling or getting face-fuls of flour, sauce or dough. The chaos was too much as the cooks started to gang up on Larry in an attempt to seize him. Woody and the others managed to make it under a table. They were all out of breath and feared any second they'd be snatched up. They were close to the back door, but it wasn't open.

"How are we gonna get out of here?" Mr. Potato Head asked.

Woody hated to tell him they'd have to wait til someone walked through. Larry was fighting his own co-workers in order to get free. He kept raving about the strange sight he had seen. It wouldn't be long before he spotted them. Luckily for them, Larry was so out of control, he caused one of the workers to call for more help. That help came from the back door as two delivery men entered. They paused at first, then hurried over to restrain Larry.

"This is our chance, come on!"

As the door started to swing close, they hurried out. Out of sight of Larry, who had quickly lost his power when the broom was pulled from his hands. The short-tempered cook glared up at Larry, while panting heavily. They all were.

"Larry! WHAT...WERE...YOU...DOING!"

Larry was now sitting on the floor, after falling from the struggle. His eyes glanced about the kitchen for any sight of the small man, but he didn't see him, nor his odd band of companions. "I was,..there was... this little man!"

"The little man, again?"  
"Yes..and this time there were others. There was a small pig, a small dinosaur and...a potato."

Several of the food soiled cooks glared at him, unfazed by his explaination.

"Small pig," said one.

"Small dinosaur," said a second.

"And...a potato," said a third.

Larry nodded vigorously. The short-tempered cook practically blew his top. Above him, the cheesy pizza that was stuck to the ceiling was slowly loosening. "Larry! If I've told you once, I've told you a million times. Lay off the sauce!" The pie was getting closer to losing its grip. Only Larry noticed. "After all I've gone through to get you this job, you'd think that you could handle that. But after today, I think it'd be safe to say, that you're going to be..." The pizza fell and landed right on top of the small cook. Bits and pieces of cheese flew off and hit the walls of the already ruined kitchen. "fired," he finished.

Outside, Woody and the others dashed behind some trash cans. Woody still held the box over his head when Andy, Buzz and Slinky walked over to them.

"Good work guys," said Buzz.

"We were starting to wonder what was keeping you," said Slinky.

"I hope you didn't have any trouble," said Andy.

The answer should have been obvious as Woody, Rex, Hamm and Mr. Potato Head all looked exhausted and were panting heavily. Woody's legs shook as he slowly brought down the box.

"No,...trouble...at all," he panted sarcastically.

Andy stepped toward it, then took notice of Rex's extra green coating.

"What happened to you?" Andy asked, as he stiffled a laugh.

"I thought you might want desert," Rex answered.

Andy studied him and seemed to get some idea of what happened. He grinned at the dino's eagerness to please him. He ran a finger across his neck, lifting away some of the ice-cream.

"Hmm, lime sherbert. I like it, but you didn't have to go to the trouble," Andy told him. He then turned to the pizza box.

"You see guys," said Rex. "I told you it was a good idea." The others groaned. It was followed by Andy's groan when he noticed the pizza they brought him had olives.

"Oh guys, I said no olives. But you got everything else right so that's okay."

"Well maybe next time you should call in and order," Hamm suggested.

"Maybe I should have. I mean, I'm not sure I feel right about eating a stolen pizza."

"What? After all the work we've been through!" said Potato Head.

"Maybe I could pay them back."  
"Don't worry about it Andy," said Woody. "It was a pizza they didn't want. And it's enough there for us to never do that again."

Andy shrugged and picked off the olives. Even though the pizza was small for a child, it was huge compared to Andy. The four slices would be enough to last him a week if he remained this way. Nonetheless, he was delighted to have a pizza larger than his body; a kid's dream come true. Andy lifted a slice and began to chow down. Now all the toys had to do was take the opportunity to rest up.

"Come on Rex," said Slinky. "I saw a bottle of water you can use to clean yourself off with."  
"Are you sure?" Rex asked as he followed behind. "What about Andy's desert?"  
"I think he'd like it better if you were presented in a cone," said Mr. Potato Head as he followed them. "Don't think he'd be comfortable licking on you."

Woody joined Buzz who was leaning against a trash can, watching Andy enjoy his meal.

"It wasn't too much trouble, was it?" Buzz asked.

"Oh no," said Woody, as he shook off the cheese from his hat. "No trouble whatsoever. I just hope Andy doesn't have a craving for anything else, like chinese or hamburgers."  
Buzz laughed. "Hopefully not. We'll hitch a ride home to Warrick's and be done with this."

"Yeah," Woody agreed. But Buzz did note the saddness in his voice. Instead of commenting on it, they simply watched Andy. He'd already eaten half of the first slice, but the way he was holding it caused some of the cheese to drip onto Hamm who stood nearby. Woody chuckled. Regardless of what they'd been through so far, they did have their moments, and he was sure he'd hate to see them go.

**You know it's funny. During that whole kitchen scene, I was greatly reminded of Ratatouille. You know Remy scurrying around on the kitchen floor. I was even picturing the cooks as some of the characters, sort of. I guess maybe I could say the same about the toys' escape in the last chapter where they used balloons. Reminds me of Pixar's Up. I almost didn't write this scene, but I wanted to have as much adventure scenes as I could, and this one is meant to be wacky and fun. For once the toys aren't in major peril. And for once we shifted from Andy and allowed the toys to have their own mini adventure.**

**Besides that, toy story does have its quirky moments.**

**And keeping in the spirit of Toy Story, where would we be without pizza as the choice food; you know, Pizza Planet. **

**Anyways, keep reading and stay tuned for the next chapter which will prove to be very special and very significant for the theme of this whole story!**


	15. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer: I do not own Toy Story**

**I was going to call this chapter "Camp out", but then I got the song "Getting to know you" from "The King and I" stuck in my head. But, it's essentially what's going to happen in this chapter. The theme of this fic, which you should probably already know, is greatly expressed in this chapter. It's a nice quiet moment before things start getting a little chaotic. So enjoy this moment.**

Getting to Know You

Evening fell upon the city, and before they knew it, it was getting dark. Andy guessed it must have been 8:00 p.m or later. By the time he had finished his first slice of pizza, he was done and he had come to realize how tired the whole day had made him. There was a silent agreement made to find another alleyway for the night. Woody didn't trust staying anywhere near the Hot SPot, but he wouldn't tell Andy why _exactly _that was. Andy wanted to argue a bit; saying that nightime was the best time to travel because there'd be few people on the streets. But he could barely back it up since he was nervous about traveling in the dark, in his size anyway. Woody and the others were glad he didn't argue. He did however wish he could carry the rest of the pizza with him, but it would have been too troublesome, and slices that size would have slowed Andy down further.

Andy sat with the others around two lit cigarettes that were suppose to be the fire that gave him some warmth. He wasn't one for smokers, but he was glad in this moment that someone had left them behind. As he stared at it, he rubbed his full belly. He couldn't remember ever being so stuffed.

Here they were, safe from the eyes of people and on their own close to a building's back light. Here was Andy's camp out. It seemed to have happened after all. He thought this as he gazed up at the sky and around at his companions. He expected it to be so much different. Instead of having Slinky on his left hand side, he expected it to be Jen, smiling at him. He expected his other toys to be Jen's parents, pleased to have him along. But it didn't happen; that, apparently, wasn't meant to happen.

Andy swallowed at the bitter memory. Despite being with the toys that were slowly becoming his friends, he still felt lonely.

"You all right Andy?" asked Slinky.

"Huh, oh, yeah. I was just...thinking."

"About what?"

"Well-"

"RRWWWAAAAAOOOARR!"

Andy leaped up in the air and spun around. Rex hovered over the spot where Andy was momentarily sitting. His usual lovable, clumsy dino pal had just become a terrifying beast. But then he became himself again as he hopped up and down, delighted.

"Were you scared?"

Andy gaped, his heart still racing. "I think you can tell from that ten foot jump into the air; Yeah...I was...scared," Andy admitted. "Why did you do that?"

"Don't be too sore at him," said Slinky. "He's always tried his hardest to be scary."

"Well I am a dinosaur," said Rex. "Dinosaurs are suppose to be scary, but that was the first time I was successful."

"Wait a go Rex," Hamm complimented. "They'll have to cast you in the next Jurassic Park."

"And when they do, they should leave him there," said Mr. Potato Head.

Andy sighed. Woody walked up to him and placed a hand on his shoulder, then he glared at the cause of the disturbance. "Rex."

"Ah, I'm sorry Andy," Rex apologize as he dropped his gaze. Andy saw the confidence that he momentarily held vanish before him.

"No, it's alright Rex. That was, good...you really got me."

Rex cheered up at his compliment. Andy smiled. He had almost forgotten how easy it was to please his toys. But now that he knew they were like this, _living_ so to speak, he couldn't help feeling guilty again. They loved him, but he had long ago abandoned them.

"If you're still worried about being out here at night, you can stop," said Woody. "One of us will keep watch at all times while you get a good night's sleep." Apparently he thought the darkness scared Andy, but he wasn't a child anymore; and at the moment that felt like a problem.

"It's not that Woody," he said as he took Woody's spot on an empty box of cookies. Woody joined him and watched as Andy tried to come up with the right words to say. "It's...it's you guys." At this the rest of the toys looked up.

"Us?" Buzz questioned, confused.

"Again," said Hamm. "I thought we moved past that problem."

"No I don't mean the 'you guys can talk' part. I mean, well, that does have something to do with it. You guys have gone through so much to help me, even though I haven't, I haven't..."

"Played with us in years?" asked Mr. Potato Head.

"Yeah," he admitted quietly. They were all silent. Woody turned away and looked at the cigarettes. To admit that themselves was one thing, but when Andy said it, it felt more real. A fact of life no toy could deny. Woody tried to deny it, even if he said it in words or told it to the other toys he never really believed it. They had to acknowledge it just as Andy did and Andy himself was okay with it.

"Well, Andy," Woody started in what he hoped was a light hearted voice. "You're growing up."

"That's just it, I am growing up...but I don't feel grown up. I don't know what I feel, except scared. Maybe it's because I'm out here alone."

"But you're not alone, you've got us," said Slinky.

"I think he means without humans," Mr. Potato Head whispered to him.

"I mean without mom. And I guess even dad. Even though we don't admit it, parents do help kids when it comes to growing up. Right now I feel caught in the middle. It all seemed to go by so fast. That's why I didn't want Molly to miss it. I enjoyed those years as a child, with you guys. It was the best part of, being a kid."

Woody took it in as new information. So Andy wasn't okay with growing up. He was scared of it, just as he and all the other toys were. Woody had never imagined how Andy would feel about it. He assumed it was something humans naturally did; just grow day by day without a thought about it. But Andy was trying to tell them there was more to it than that and Woody believed he understood without Andy having to explain. There was a lot that came with adulthood.

"Guess we never thought about it either partner," said Woody. "We thought it was easy on kids, and hard on their toys. Scared when their owners stop playing with them, when they forget about them and throw them away. Every toy fears that, but I never thought their owners feared it too."

"Some owners I guess," said Andy. "Your owner."

Woody nodded.

"When you think about it," said Buzz. "I guess there really is a lot to fear. Like responsibility."

"College," added Slinky.

"Employment," added Hamm.

"New friends," said Rex.

"New romances," said Mr. Potato Head who nudged Andy playfully. Andy turned and blushed.

"Yeah, there's a lot that comes with adulthood. It's not like childhood at all."

"But Andy," Woody cut in. "Just because it's not like childhood, doesn't mean you have to stop being yourself."

Andy looked around, confused.

"I mean, there are no set rules are there? Kids can still stay the same no matter how big they get. Right?"

Andy shrugged. "I guess."

"And you'll always have your family and your friends when you need help," said Hamm.

"That's, that's true," Andy answered, as he scratched his neck nervously.

"You'll always have a home to come back to when you need a safe place to stay," said Slinky.

"Yeah, you're right about that," Andy admitted.

"And you'll always have us," said Buzz.

"Right," Woody agreed, smiling at his favorite deputy.

Andy nodded, suddenly feeling too choked up to speak. "I'll always have you guys. I'll always have those memories of us playing together."

"That's right," Slinky agreed. "Like the time when you first got me. You were only five years old and you wanted a dog, so your mom bought me. You used to teach me tricks, walk me around the room and even feed me." Andy laughed at the memory. That had been the reason Slinky was brought to him.

"You were a great fake dog. And it must have worked because later on mom got Buster for me. But not many people have a dog that can stretch as far as you. That's really handy Slinky." Slinky seemed to curl up at the compliment.

"How about me? I wasn't even intended for a kid as young as you. Seven years old," said Mr. Potato Head.

"Well, as I recall, I think I saw a potato head in school and I just had to have one. I could rearrange the parts and make funny new faces, like Picasso."

Mr. Potato Head chuckled. "You and I had the same ideas."

"Well one of my ideas was making you the villian sometimes."

"True, but I was the villian all of the time, or have you forgotten evil Dr. Porkchop?" asked Hamm. Andy laughed.

"Yes and you were a great super villian, and a great bank. Where else was I going to hide my change from Molly." Hamm looked back at Andy and he was sure he would have teared up if he could. "If you hadn't come along, I wouldn't have been able to call mom; there to remind me why I have to see this through and get home."

"Like I said earlier, it has been a pleasure."

"What about me?" cried Rex, fearfully of being left out. Andy smiled.

"I couldn't forget you, Rex. Not after that scare. I always made you scary even if you didn't look it."

"I was a surprise remember? You were so happy when you opened me up at your fifth birthday party. There was nothing better than seeing that smile on your face. Oh, and the way we played together, you used to make the best dinosaurs roars. I always wanted mine to be as good as yours."

"Rrrrwwaaaaarrrrrr," Andy growled playfully and they all laughed.

"Don't forget about me space ranger," said Buzz as he stood up and placed his hands on his hips. He raised an eyebrow and gave a dashing smile.

"There's no way I could forget Buzz Lightyear of Star Command," he said in a large booming voice. "Aw man you had the wings that popped out, the laser, you glowed in the dark. You were and still are a cool toy. We used to go everywhere together, mars, the moon, we even blasted a few aliens along the way."

"Yeah, and I'm sure at the time he thought those aliens were real."

Andy turned to Woody's sudden comment. "In case you didn't know Andy, Buzz here had thought for some time that he was the real Buzz Lightyear of Star Command. He was impossible to deal with."

"But I got over that Woody," said Buzz.

"But it took us getting stuck at Sid's to undo your, insanity. And that also took time for me, to get over being jealous of you."

"You were jealous, of Buzz?" asked Andy incredously. He felt it was hard to believe, but not impossible. He was getting a better insight to the emotions of toys. But Woody had been there from the start. Woody looked at him and gave a small smile.

"I sure was. I thought you were replacing me with Buzz as your new favorite toy."

Though he was surprised to learn this, Andy felt he shouldn't be. Buzz was the new hot toy that took all his attention. He was fascinated by the spaceman. But when it came to Woody, it was different. His first favorite toy that had always been there, that was always so loyal. He cherished every minute spent with the ragdoll.

"But that's, ridiculous," Andy cried as he stared into Woody's saddened face. "Woody, you're the greatest toy I've ever known. Nothing can replace you. Every toy is special to me in its own way, especially you."

"Really?"

"Yes really. Guess I could understand why you'd see it that way, but you would have never been replaced." Andy fell silent to give him time to process it.

"Hey," said Woody as he playfully nudged Andy. "You remember the time I saved the bank from a robbery?"

Andy laughed. "Yeah yeah yeah, and the time you lassoed across a great canyon to save Slinky."

"Uh huh, and the time I saved Bo from shark infested waters. I had help on that one with Buzz." Woody paused as his thoughts drifted back home. "I sure hope they're all okay back home."

"I'm sure they're fine. They've got Jessie the yodeling cowgirl and Bullseye, your faithful horse to watch over them."

"They sure do," Woody agreed.

Andy stretched out and stared deep into the ends of the cigarette that were starting to burn out. "All this time, I never knew toys cared so much about playtime. I mean, you're so still, I wouldn't think you liked being moved around and put in those places, I mean now that I know you guys can talk and stuff."

"Well it makes us feel alive," Woody answered. "Even though we're not moving. All that matters to us is that we make a child happy."

Andy blinked the sudden wetness of his eyes. "Well you've made me happy for years. All of you have."

They all smiled and reminisced about their favorite times with Andy. After a while, Andy brought up something Woody had mentioned.

"So how about now?"

"How about now what?" asked Woody.

"How about you tell me your adventures. The time you came alive for some kid, getting lost and ending up at Sid's. I think now is as good a time as any."

Woody exchange a glance with Buzz and the rest of his fellow toys.  
"I think I can fill you in, with a little help from the guys."

Andy made himself comfortable as Woody started the story, with the help of the others. They talked about Buzz's arrival and what that meant to everyone. Woody admitted how far he was willing to go to get rid of Buzz. At that Andy was a little mad, but he forgave him. They told him where they really were when he thought they were gone forever and how Woody had scared the living daylights out of his evil next door neighbor Sid. Andy had laughed, believing Sid deserved it. They filled him in on the missing days when Andy went off to Cowboy camp. How Woody had been stolen and met Jessie and Bullseye. He admitted he thought about staying because he was scared of Andy growing up, but he wasn't any longer. Andy loved hearing how his toys banded together to save Woody and how Woody had bravely saved Jessie from being shipped away.

When the story came to an end, it was even later and Andy had come to realize he had gotten his camp out afterall; surrounded by all his friends (though they were toys) and sharing stories (though none of them contained ghosts). It had been a special moment Andy hoped never to forget. But instead of making a place to sleep out of a tent, he would make it out of cardboard. The others put it together for Andy. A piece laying flat on the ground and another making a triangle over it, like a tent. It felt like old times, pretending with his toys, but in a very real way.

As Andy settled in, his thoughts drifted back to his very real situation. One he feared he might have trouble getting out of. He knew he wasn't suppose to go to bed with worries on his mind, but he couldn't help it.

As he was about to drift further into his thoughts, he turned and noticed Woody standing nearby. He seemed a little akward about something as he carried what looked like a rolled up blanket in his hands.

"Uh, I found this old rag. It's pretty thick and warm and I thought you might use it for a, blanket if you get cold."

Andy smiled softly. There wasn't anything they wouldn't do to please them, and if they felt it wasn't enough they felt bad about it. "That's all right Woody. That will do fine. I was getting a little cold." He laid down and gazed at the ceiling of the cardboard. Woody looked at the rag in his hands and hesitated before stepping up to him. He knelt down by his owner's side and proceeded to do something he used to dream about. Something only a parent would do. Andy didn't protest as Woody pulled the rag up to him like a blanket and tucked him in. It seemed to be the very thing Woody needed to further seal their bond.

"Woody?"

"Yeah."

"You know what you said about me still being able to be myself, after I've grown up?"

"Yeah."

"Well, I know I can be, but I guess I'm still a little scared of it."

Woody smiled softly. Andy may appear big, but there was still a child underneath. A boy seeking comfort and Woody took on that role. It made him feel more needed than he ever felt in years.

"After what you've said, I believe everyone does feel a little scared, about growing up or anything else. But that's okay. I know you'll be able to handle yourself. You've proved that on this journey, but I was afraid to let you."

"Thanks Woody, but I think the thing that's making me more scared is what's happening right now. What if I'm stuck like this?"

Woody bit his lip, unsure of how to answer that one. They were all so positive in the beginning, but since they were such a long way from home, confidence was wearing thin. Woody didn't want to have doubts, but whatever happened he hoped there was a way to reverse Andy's _small_ problem.

"Don't worry Andy. I won't rest until we find a way to get you out of this. I'll be there for you, I promise."

Andy nodded and rolled over to try and fall asleep. Woody finished covering him then joined the toys nearby who found different junk materials to rest on. He leaned just outside of Andy's tent to keep the first watch. He looked out at the dark of the night, determined not to let anything more befall his owner. But if there was the slightest chance that Andy would get stuck in his toy-sized form, Woody would still be there. They all would.

"Don't worry Andy," he whispered to himself. "Everything's gonna be all right so long as I'm here."

Andy sighed, his eyes wide open. It would be difficult to sleep, but he wasn't as alone as he thought he was. He was being looked after by those he trusted. He just hoped when he was out of this, he'd find someway to make it up to them. After what they've done he couldn't just abandon them in a toy box, because they hadn't abandoned him.

**I think this will be one of my most favorite chapters to write so far. I always think it's best when stories and movies have a moment of peace to catch your breath before things get too dramatic. Anyways, the theme of this fic, that should be obvious is dealing with growing up. It was dealt with in TS3, but we see it more from Andy's point of view here. Showing that sometimes growing up can be scary, not only for the toys, but for people too. They learn their true feelings from one another and realize that it may not be so bad for Andy to get older. And even if he is scared, it's okay because he's not alone. Andy had to shrink **_**down**_** to learn how to grow **_**up.**_** That could be a tagline. Once again, loved writing this, especially when there's a chance to have more Woody and Andy bonding moments. **

**I'm so glad you guys enjoyed the last chapter. We needed a good laugh. Keep me posted on your reviews as we continue this journey!**


	16. Chapter 16

**disclaimer: I don't own Toy Story**

**Get your music players ready! A very well known and classic song is presented in this chapter to set the mood. And I think you all know what that special song is.**

On the Road

Morning came, and with it the rise of obvious worries. Andy sat up as the sun's rays hit him. The moment he saw where he was sleeping, he groaned.

"So it wasn't a dream afterall," he said to himself as he rubbed his eyes. It had been a day; a long advernturous one that was so imaginative, but so real. And now he woke up to find out how real that was. It was the end of denying that he was in a serious situation far from home, and no bigger than his cowboy doll Woody. How was he going to pull this off?

His thoughts were interrupted by the sounds of his toys coming to life. Andy couldn't help passing a small twitch in surprise at the sight. The thought, the hope, that it was all a dream vanishing completely. Hamm crossed his sight as he and the other toys were stretching and coming together.

"Morning," he greeted them all. "Hope nothing was picked off you during the night. I think I got all my change."

Mr. Potato Head walked up, arranging his face pieces that had somehow been rearranged during the night while he slept.

"Eyes, ears, nose, I think I'm all here."

"Boy, sleeping on box crates sure can bend you out of shape," said Slinky as he gave his springy body a great long stretch. Rex came running up.  
"Can somebody untwist my tail. It got turned during the night!" His tail had turned around the wrong way. Buzz came and turned it back around. "Oh, thank you Buzz."

"No problem Rex." He turned as Woody came, rubbing the back of his neck like it was stiff then yawned. Buzz had no doubt in his mind that when the other toys took over his watch, Woody kept an eye open. But Buzz couldn't blame him. His concern for Andy was great. Buzz understood, anything could happen to him out here which was why their next moves had to be carefully planned. "Okay Woody?"

"Yeah, yeah. Everyone well rested?" There were murmurs of agreement, but they weren't fully positive. "All right. Andy how about you?" He walked over to Andy who hadn't moved from his seated position in the makeshift cardboard tent.

"Yeah, I guess."

"Good. And I guess we should, get you something for breakfast."

Though Woody was offering, Andy could tell Woody wasn't too thrilled with the idea of going on another scavenger hunt for food; however he still hadn't told Andy what happened the first time he did. But he did appreciate the toy's generosity.

"That's okay Woody."  
"But," Rex started. "Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Or was it dinner?"

"No really guys. I just want to get going. I'll eat when I'm home again, or if I'm lucky."

"Right," Buzz agreed. "The sooner we move out the better."

"But we're so far away from home," said Mr. Potato Head. "How are we supposed to get there when we're a city away?"

"With a map," Andy told them simply.

"A map?" said Slinky.

"Yeah. You guys don't have to get breakfast, but getting a city map would be nice." The toys exchanged looks, each wondering who would be chosen for the job.

...

"All right, good work guys," Buzz praised as he stared down at the map before him, with Andy by his side. Standing off to the side, panting and gasping with exhaustion were Rex, Potato Head, Hamm and Woody. The same gang chosen since they did such a good job at getting the pizza.

"Why are we always chosen?" Mr. Potato Head complained.

"What...does...the map...say?" Woody panted. Buzz and Andy studied it closely. In relationship to where they were, it could take more than a week to get there on foot. They would lessen the amount of days to pass another city and back into the sub urbs if they hitch hiked.

"We've got a long journey ahead of us men, but if we're patient and keep our heads held high, we can get home. What do you say?"

"Let's do this!" Andy cried, pumped and ready.

"I'm with you all the way," said Slinky. "We can't stay here forever."

"That's the spirit," said Buzz. "What about you guys?" He turned to Woody and his gang that had miracoulously snatched a map from some unknown area. Woody fell over exhausted. A long journey ahead of them indeed.

_**'You've got a friend in me**_

_**You've got a friend in me**_

_The group head out along the alleyways. Of course the major concern dealt with being seen. Luckily a long haired shaggy sheep dog stray was scouting about. Hidden under the cover of his long fur, they crossed a street. Unfortunately their cover was quickly distracted by a frisbee being thrown about, leaving them to run for cover._

_Upon finding themselves on a section of a bricked flower garden meant for public decoration of a restaurant front, Andy lays out the map to make sure they're on the right track._

_**When the road looks, rough ahead**_

_**And you're miles and miles from your nice warm bed**_

_Andy signals for them to go, but passerby come a bit too close, forcing his friends to freeze into toy mode. Andy reluctantly finds himself doing the same when he nearly caught the attention of a small girl. He rolled his eyes at the silliness of it._

_**You just remember what your old pal said**_

_**Boy you've got a friend in me**_

_**Yeah you've got a friend in me**_

_They managed to come some way in the city and run across a possible yet unlikely ride; a chicken truck who's driver had stopped by a small cafe and mentioned traveling in their direction._

_**You've got a friend in me**_

_**You've got a friend in me**_

_They take the ride, but it seems to prove more of a hassle than helpful. The chickens just wouldn't leave Woody or Potato Head alone. Apparently Mr. Potato Head was a nice vegetable snack to them and they kept picking off various toy parts. As for Woody, perhaps it was revenge because he looked like he worked on a farm. Andy wouldn't let them get the best of his pals and shooed them away. Woody was grateful._

_**You've got troubles, and I got em too**_

_**There isn't anything I wouldn't do for you**_

_**If we can stick together we can see it through**_

_**Cause you've got a friend in me**_

_**You got a friend in me**_

_There trip couldn't last as the ride was just too rowdy, and besides that the driver changed his mind about where he was headed. They had quickly got off and decided to cut across a park's grassy field. There were no playgrounds here or little kids running about. But older kids were playing a game not too far away. Their tennis ball came soaring near the gang and landed at Andy's feet. Andy touched it and looked at his companions walking along. He didn't want to admit it, but he was starting to miss the games he played with them. As if to push aside the sad memories, he lifted the ball and tossed it as far away from him as his small body allowed. _

_**Some other folks might be a little bit smarter than I am**_

_**Bigger and stronger too**_

_**Maybe, **_

_The gang had made it to an alleyway and paused to study the map. Woody watched as Andy and Buzz discussed it while he feared the loss of his owner when this was done._

_**But none of them will ever love you the way I do **_

_**It's me and you boy**_

_Perhaps out of tiredness or maddness the gang lined up to hitch a ride. They managed to catch the attention of a poor nervous looking man who nearly veered off the road at the sight of the moving toys. They quickly decided it was best to sneak a ride. They decided to take that ride on a truck, but for the evening they rested beneath it. It's another campout as ghost stories are passed around. Everyone's laughing and enjoying one another's company, hating to see it end._

_**And as the years go by**_

_**Our friendship will never die**_

_**You're gonna see it's our destiny**_

_The nice peaceful evening turns into a night of a terrible storm; the pouring rain keeping them trapped, huddled together under the truck. Feeling wet and cold Andy huddled up next to Woody, who's pleased he can still give him some comfort, no matter how little._

_**You got a friend in me**_

_**You got a friend in me**_

_By day, the truck heads out on the road._

_**You got a friend in me'**_

_Andy looks up from his map and on to the road they're traveling on. In a matter of hours, they would be a lot closer to home and it had happened in a day. But a lot more happened between him and his toys that could never be replaced._

**Ah, a pretty short chapter; but it was a montage of their travels, accompanied by Randy Newman (disclaimer: I don't own "You've Got a Friend in Me"). What better song to use than that? I was actually looking around for one to fit the situation. I remember reading in a cd booklet for disney soundtracks that this song was meant more for Andy and Woody's friendship, but obviously seemed to relate more to Buzz and Woody. Well here, it's definately for Andy and Woody. It says so much. Montages, like pizza places, are another staple of the Toy Story movies, plus it keeps the story moving. That's important. It's time to get back home; or at least nearly there.**

**In chapter 9, I changed it so that they mentioned they were a city away. I needed to make this a city away from where they needed to be, rather than just the inner city. That way the montage fits and their journey is a bit longer. I won't name the city because the story allows me to add whatever obstacle I want.**

**Anyways I hope you enjoyed this chapter, particulary if you were reading while listening to the song. I believe this chapter marks the halfway point of the whole story, so it's time for me to work out how I'm going to resolve it as we move to the end. Til then, keep a look out; Later. **


	17. Chapter 17

**Disclaimer: I don't own Toy Story**

**Sorry I took a while guys, but I decided to take a little break from writing, and at the same time I was working out how I was going to resolve this story since we're at the half-way point. The next couple of chapters, including this one, start to get a bit more dramatic and darker. Andy and the others will start to experience things they didn't expect. **

Choo Choo Chase

A very worried cowgirl stepped over to the window and gazed at the outside. She ignored the people walking by and gazed down at the grounds or up and down the streets. She sighed. She longed to go out there and join Woody and the others, but she promised to stay behind and protect the house as well as look after the other toys. Jessie promised her owner that, and she would fufill it.

"Jessie? Are you all right?"

She turned to see Bo walking up to her.

"Yeah, I guess, I just wish I could be out there with them; helping Andy get back to his right size."

"I'm sure the others are doing a good job."  
"But I don't see them," Jessie complained. "What if they didn't make it to that Warrick fella's house? What if they're in danger, What if Andy..." She paused. Jessie could not remember the last time she felt so concerned about a human since her last owner Emily abandoned her. Jessie had plenty of years to get to know Andy, but it didn't seem long enough. She hadn't met him when he was very little like the rest of the toys, and in a way sometimes she still felt brand new. But Andy had accepted her into the family and played with her and Bullseye equally. She was grateful for it and willing to accept Andy herself.

Then the thing she feared started again. Andy became a teenager and practically forgot his toys, like Emily. It was happening all over again and there was nothing she or any other toy could do about it. Now this happened. She hadn't even got to spend much time with him before Andy was determined to grow up again.

"Andy will be fine," Bo assured her. "He's got Buzz and Woody with him, and all the others."

"Well that's just it. I want to be there too. He's my owner too isn't he. They get to spend all that time with him, the time they haven't had in years." She stopped and sighed again. "Maybe it's for the best."

Bo studied her then walked closer to the end of the desk to get a better look out the window. "Maybe they did make it to his house and found a way to help Andy. Maybe theyr'e on their way back right now."

"Maybe, but even in that short amount of time, it's more than enough for a toy to spend with its kid. When he's back to his old self, he's gonna forget all about us."

Even though Andy knew their secret, Jessie still felt they'd somehow end up ignored again.

"I seriously doubt that dear," said Mrs. Potato Head who was making her way toward them. "We revealed ourselves. We talked to Andy, so I don't think he'll be forgetting that anytime soon. My husband won't let him."

Jessie and Bo laughed. "Yeah," Jessie agreed as she started to feel better. "You're right. There's no way Andy can forget about us now, not after what happened to him. He's gonna be there to play with us always!"

"That's the spirit," Bo cheered.

"So in the mean time, I'll take care of this house." She stopped and turned back to the window. "I know Woody and the others will take good care of him, but if they need my help, I won't hesitate to go to him." Bullseye trotted up to her and nuzzled her size. "We won't hesitate to go to him."

She jumped down from the desk into the chair, then whistled. All the other toys gathered together before her.

"All right everybody. How about we do Andy a favor and clean up this room for him. Andy's been through a lot when he was shortened, so it's the least we can do for him til he gets back." The toys nodded to one another then spread out to straighten and clean up the room. Jessie smiled as she watched them at work. _Don't worry Andy_, she thought to herself. _Your room and toys are safe so long as I'm here to look after it._

The trip on the truck took them as far as they could go without heading into another city. It was the third day and Andy was feeling anxious, but realizing how close they were to home, he started to feel more calm. They were on the outskirts of the sub urbs and they decided following the town's train tracks would be the short-cut to getting home faster. It seemed like a risk, but the freight trains rarely ever came along the tracks. They had been following it for hours, but it would soon be over. Once they crossed the open bridge, they would be nearing a hillside that overlooked his area. They were almost there.

Andy ran a hand over his stomach as it growled. He hadn't bothered to get anything to eat today. The only thing he had eaten since hitting the road was an overcooked fry. Rex had dared to get it for him out of the truck driver's trashed burger meal. But that was yesterday and it was way past lunch time now. By the time they got back it would probably be evening. He groaned as his stomach growled again.

"You all right there Andy?" Hamm asked.

Andy looked behind him. The whole group was spread out along the tracks as they traveled. He, Buzz and Woody were leading the rest. "Yeah, just getting a little hungry."

"Don't worry Andy, we're almost there," Buzz assured him.

"And when we get there, we can stop at the house for something to eat," said Woody.

"That, would be great," Andy sighed. _And then it's off to Warrick's to get back to normal._ He couldn't wait, at least that was what he silently kept telling himself. But he wasn't sure if it were true. It had been quite an adventure; nothing compared to it and he was sure the camping trip with Jen wouldn't have compared to it either. He had experienced an amazing trip. Aside from nearly getting swept up in a street cleaner and washed down a pipe, he had helped a little girl; a brat, to learn how to deal with the loss of her sibling. He had also helped save her toys in the process. He experienced flying, he enjoyed a giant pizza, he had a campout and now he was walking along the train tracks headed home traveling with what felt like old buddies (which essentially they were). They'd gotten to know him and he had gotten to know them, in ways he could have only imagained when he was a kid. But now the journey had to end, but the obvious problem still remained. He knew their secret of being alive. Things couldn't go back to the way they were, but in a way they had to. He was growing up. In a few years he'd be off to college and he couldn't very well be locked in his dorm talking to Woody and the others. Childhood was over, he had to move on. But as Andy thought about it, he got choked up. He didn't like the idea of it being over; he wanted it to never end. He almost wanted this trip to never end.

"I can't wait to rest up when we get to Andy's," said Slinky. "My torso's getting one heck of a work out with all this walking."

"At least you're working something out," said Hamm. "I don't feel one pound lighter."

"You probably wouldn't be complaining if you were on two legs like me," said Mr. Potato head. "Me and Rex ain't tired, are you Rex?" The response was the sound of Rex panting as he hurried up to them.

"I don't think dinosaurs were meant to make such a long journey."

"Maybe not a tyrannosaurous," Mr. Potato Head replied.

"You are tired," Hamm accused Potato Head. "Admit it."

"If you are tired, we could pull off your parts and I can roll you the rest of the way home," Andy laughed.

"No thanks. I ain't no rollin stone. I'd rather be a tough potato than a shaken one."

But he did have a point. The walk was getting to him too. But they were all willing to push themselves for his sake. All of them.

They paused when the reached the begining of the bridge. It was narrow and proved to be a bridge only used for the train. Down below was quite a drop into a ravine where trash had been deposited. Large bags of what looked like styrofoam lay below. Cautiously they stepped onto the bridge and continued on. Yes, they would soon be there. Woody looked around at Andy. His thoughts were on the same thing Andy had been worrying about. Their amazing ride was coming to a conclusion, and though they became much closer, Woody wasn't sure if he had succeeded in fully reuniting the toys with their owner. Andy looked around and caught Woody watching him.

"It was some adventure wasn't it," said Andy as if reading his thoughts.

"It's, not over yet," Woody said quietly. They fell silent. A kind of sad understanding had passed between them.

"You think that wizard will really change me back?"

"Ha, if he doesn't, I'm gonna lasso him up by the end of his beard," Woody answered, as he gestured the whole act. Andy laughed.

"You know, this whole thing's given me a lot to think about," Andy told him.

"Really? Like what?" Woody asked.

"Like what I said earlier when we first camped out. It really, I don't know. I guess the best way to say it is, it really opened up my childhood again. In more ways than I can imagine." Andy turned to him and smiled, and Woody gave him a smile back. It sounded as though Woody's hopes had worked. What was a bad and scary situation turned into a dream come true for Woody and the rest of the toys; to have their owner back. Woody looked around at the others to see if they had heard. They had. They all passed around smiles as the hapiness grew within them.

"Since we're making a stop at your house Andy, how about another round of go fish?," said Hamm. Though none of the toys had been into the sort of play that involved cards, they were actually looking forward to another round.

"I think I could go for another round myself," Mr. Potato Head admitted.

"Sure," Andy told them, grinning. "I'm game if you are."

"That sounds fun. How about you Woody, are you..." Slinky trailed off from asking if he was going to play, but something distracted him. He stopped and raised a floppy ear as a whistling sound came to him.

"Yeah," said Woody. "I think I can-"

"Quiet!" Slinky ordered.

"What? Slinky?"

"Ssshhh!"

They all stopped. "Do you hear that? It sounds like some kind of whistle." Everyone walked over to him and listened.

"I don't hear anything," said Andy.

"Me neither," said Mr. Potato Head. "You probably heard a dog whistle."

"It ain't no dog whistle I'm hearing. I think it's a-" He was interrupted by a shaking motion under their feet. They all looked down, confused. The shaking motion started as small vibrations that were quickly getting bigger. They looked at one another with frightened faces. No. It couldn't be.

Andy shook his head in disbelief. "No way."

"It's a-"

"TRAIN!" Hamm yelled.

Its horn blared loudly as they watched the giant mechanical monster turning along the tracks several yards behind them. "Everybody run!" Buzz ordered. They didn't need telling twice. They ran for it as if there was any chance they could actually make it to the other end and get off the tracks and land safely on the ground. But the bridge still stretched out ahead of them even though they were halfway there and they were all running as fast as they could.

"This is crazy!" Andy cried. "We can't outrun a train!"

"We have to try," Buzz insisted.

"Andy's right!" Woody panted.

"We'll never make it!" Rex cried.

It was highly likely they weren't going to make it. This bridge was built only for the train, not for people (least of all toys) to share. They'd be crushed to pieces. The train's horn blared again and the vibrations in the track were so powerful Andy felt his teeth were rattling. They were already tired from the walk. The train was getting closer and louder.

"I don't think I can run anymore!" Slinky shouted. Buzz frowned, frustrated. They'd all collaspe by the time the train reached them. There was no other choice. He ran over to the side and grabbed Andy's arm, stopping him from running. The others stopped to.

"We have no choice. We're going to have to jump," he told them as he led them to the edge of the bridge.  
"Jump, are you out of your mind!" Woody yelled.

"That's a longer way down than Alissa's apartment," Andy reminded him.

"Not if we land on those!" he said as he pointed to the bags.

"But."

"What would you rather do? Take your chances with the train or get off this bridge?"

They exchanged nervous glances. The drop down looked twice as tall as jumping out of an apartment window, and this time they would be jumping without the safety of a balloon. But they had no choice. The train was coming closer. They all lined at the edge, their bodies touching one another for comfort, or perhaps as a last form of connection in case they didn't make it. Andy had Woody and Buzz's hand in his own.

They had a few seconds to catch their breaths before the big leap. The train was barreling toward them. Another few feet and...

"Now!" Buzz cried.

They jumped. Their contact with one another broke apart as they all came down, screaming with the fall. The train roared past above them, but they were off the tracks and hopefully landing safely in the piles of styrofoam bags.

.

.

.

.

.

Arms pinwheeled, coins flew and even an eye and an ear from Potato Head floated.

.

.

.

It seemed to take forever until they landed below. Buzz crashed hard into a bag that exploded upon his harsh landing. Pieces of styrofoam flew around him like confetti. The same thing happened all around him when old bags busted from the impact of falling toys. Woody landing on a bag next to Buzz. His hat floating up above him and finally catching up to him when it landed on his head. Rex popped up from a bag behind Woody.

"Did we make it?" he asked.

Hamm, Mr. Potato Head and Slinky slowly started to come up as well, looking dazed.

"Everyone all right?" Buzz asked. There were murmurs that they were okay.

"Ah, I think I'm all here," Mr. Potato Head said as he gathered his pieces together.

"Me too," said Slinky as his back half walked closer to his front.

"I think I've been short changed," said Hamm as he shook his belly.

"How about you Woody?" Buzz asked.

Woody exhailed and checked that he wasn't damaged. "Yeah, yeah I think I'm...where's Andy? Andy!" He, along with the rest of the toys had suddenly noticed Andy hadn't popped up. _Oh no! Oh no!_ Woody started to panic as he made to search for him among the garbage. He stopped when he saw a pile of styrofoam shifting about behind them on a higher pile. There was a funny sound coming from it, then suddenly Andy burst out of the pile. But he wasn't screaming or crying, he was laughing. Laughing like the whole thing had been a joke.

"Oh man! That was amazing! Incredible!" he told them. Yes, it had been frightening at first, jumping off the end of a bridge. But the ride, the fall all the way down was exilerating! He felt like a cliff diver or a bungee jumper (without the bungee) or a sky diver; one of those people his mother couldn't understand who got thrills from falling. Now he knew why they enjoyed it. Andy had never done anything like that before in his life. He never had the courage to. He had taken what should have been a fatal fall and cheated death.

His toys exchanged curious glances, then slowly they started to see what he was talking about. They had survived another serious situation without a scratch. Hamm chuckled, then Slinky joined in followed by Rex. Buzz couldn't help laughing and after a moment neither could Woody. Mr. Potato Head folded his arms and looked up at the spot there they had been moments before. The train had finished running over the bridge. It had been close, but they had been saved thanks to the material toys hated most-styrofoam.

In the end he had to laugh as well. This was going to make quite a story for the other toys, though he wasn't sure how his wife was going to take learning he had nearly become a flat potato pancake.

Andy fell back against the styrofam as his laughter faded away. This had definately been one heck of an adventure that he would never forget.

**Ah well, a narrow escape from death! But it ended with relief and laughter. They had to shake that off. I'm sure you saw some allusions to TS3 here, with the train and the reassuring hand holds. I find myself making a lot of those references to the TS films, however I do believe the next chapter will be unlike anything that's been in the films before. Anyways, we got to see what was happening at home just as Andy and the others are heading back. I don't know what city Andy lives in , nor do I want to know, because this way I can add any kind of obstacle, like the train, without having to worry about too much accuracy. Anyways, I hope you got quite a thrill from this chapter, but it's not over yet. Be sure to look out for the next chapter. **

**As always, review review review!**


	18. Chapter 18

**Disclaimer: I still don't own Toy story**

**Things are about to get a little tense, starting here. You've been warned.**

When Cats Attack

Evening had arrived just as Andy had predicted it would by the time they got back where they started. They weren't exactly at the Davies' household, but they were in the neighborhood; at the houses across the street from his own. It had been a long tiring journey with several rest breaks, but they had managed to make it back in one piece; as did Mr. Potato Head. And more importantly than that they had managed to come back without any more delays.

Andy dragged his tired feet along the back alley just behind one of his neighbor's house. It was hard for him to get a good judgement on where they were, but when he saw it was the Smith's house he realized they were on the side of the street Warrick's house was on. That meant Warrick's house was about four houses down. There had been talk about stopping at Andy's for a dinner break. Andy knew he could really use it, but now he wasn't so sure he wanted to stop. He felt better now that he was back and on the right side of where he needed to be. He wasn't so sure he wanted to waste time crossing the street, just to check on the house, get something to eat and play a quick game of go fish. They were right there, so they might as well keep going.

They paused at the wire fence separating the house from the alley. Where they stood was a large hole where the wire bent back like something had crashed through. The toys gathered around Andy and watched the house. A few shadows passed the lit windows.

"Think we can get across without any trouble?" Andy asked. He looked up at the sky. It was late so surely no one would come outside, and even it they did they would most likely go undetected. He had been wary of traveling in the dark. No one more wary than Woody, but they had the street lamps to guide them.

"I think it should be safe enough," said Buzz. "Much safer than traveling the alley at night with unknown creatures lurking in the dark.

"They don't have a dog or anything, do they?" asked Mr. Potato Head.

"If they do, I can talk him into leaving us alone," said Slinky. "Or giving us a ride to Warrick's."

"No," said Andy shaking his head. "There's no dog."

The only thing there was was a lot of tall grass from someone's failure to mow the lawn.

"We'll just walk across here and then down the sidewalk. We won't have to worry about hiding so much since it's dark," Andy explained.

"You intend for us to go, straight there?" asked Woody, somewhat cautious of the idea.

"Why not?" asked Andy. "I know we thought about stopping at my place but, it'll be quicker if we skip that and just go to Warrick's. We're already over here, he's just a few blocks down."

Woody fiddled his fingers nervously. "But..but Andy." He paused. He didn't know how to say it without making it sound selfish. In truth part of him did feel that way. Part of him wasn't ready to let Andy go and grow up again, and for a while he thought Andy felt the same way. He knew he couldn't stay this way forever, but it seemed Andy was eager to part from him. But the main thing that made him cautious was traveling so late. There was no plan when they got there.

Woody sighed. After everything they'd been through, he knew Andy was right about this. The faster they got him back to normal, the better. There didn't need to be anymore delays. Woody shook his head. Now wasn't the time to think Andy would leave them; leave him.

"You're right. We should get this over with."

Andy bit his lip and nodded. Then he headed through the open hole. The toys followed right behind him.

"Once we get over there, what's the plan?" asked Hamm.

"There is no plan," Andy answered.

"No plan?" Rex questioned. "If there's no plan, how are we suppose to, unshrink you."  
"Well, we'll find the wizard," Andy started.

"And make him undo this fowl deed he's done to Andy," said Buzz.

As they headed through the tall grass, Woody's focus fell in the direction of Andy's house. He hoped they were all doing okay. And he really hoped they weren't worrying too much about their situation. Woody kept walking and gazing that he didn't take notice that Andy was in front of him, and crashed. Andy stumbled and wheeled around.

"Ah, sorry Andy."

"What's the matter?"

"Oh, I was just wondering if everyone was all right back home. I know it's silly to worry, but.."

Andy studied him for a moment before replying. "I don't think it's silly at all. Actually I was starting to wonder the same thing."

"You were?"

"Yeah. I mean, you admitted you guys can take care of yourself when I'm not around, but you can't help worrying sometimes. I'm sure they're fine."

Woody smiled, feeling much better. "Yeah, I'm sure they are too."

"If you two are done with the love fest, I suggest we keep moving," said Mr. Potato Head as he passed them. Andy grinned and followed behind him with Woody at his side.

Not too far away from the traveling party, were a small group of hidden creatures milling around the garbage cans near the house. The sounds of clanking metal and rummaging reached Buzz who held out an arm to stop the party.

"Wait! What was that?" he whispered.

Slinky came forward and raised an ear. "It's coming from the trash cans."

"It's probably cats or something," said Andy frowning.

"Cats?" said Slinky. "You didn't say the Smith's had cats."

"They don't. It's probably those lousy alleycats Buster likes to chase."

"Then we should be extra careful not to disturb them," said Woody.

"Right," Buzz agreed. "We'll head off in this direction."

They strayed to the left, moving away from the trash cans in case there were cats. But Andy had been right. There were three cats rummaging through the litter for any hope of a good meal. One was a very scrawney looking brown cat with bright yellow eyes and drooping whiskers. Another was a large gray cat that was scratching desperately at a crack in the side of the house as if he hoped to pull a mouse from it. The third sat on top of a closed trash can. He was larger than the gray cat with yellow fur and orange stripes. He had a few scars on his body and face from various fights. The yellow cat sniffed the air and yowled eagerly. Something had caught it's attention, and that something was moving along in the grass not too far from him.

He jumped off the can and studied the movement. There seemed to be many of them in motion. He crouched low and proceeded to stalk. The brown cat became aware of his movements and followed the action. He circled around behind the hidden traveling party. They seemed to realize there would be plenty for everyone, however they didn't realize only one was edible.

The grass rustled as Andy and his toys traveled on, however Andy couldn't help feeling that something had changed around them. One thing was that there was no more noise coming from the trash cans. Surely the cats weren't done searching for their meal?

"Hey, you guys hear anything?" he asked quietly.

The paused in their walk. Woody and Buzz listened closely. "I don't hear anything," said Buzz.

"Neither do I," said Woody.

"That's just it," said Andy. "The cats must be gone."

"Then where are they?" asked Woody. Andy shushed him as the sound of rustling grass came to them. They could tell it was coming from in front of them and from behind. None of the other toys were moving, but whatever it was, it was coming up fast.

"Guys," Andy whispered. "You don't think-"

Suddenly a scared yellow face popped up in front of them and hissed. The others cowered, but Buzz jumped in front of Andy and raised up an arm for cover. The cat struck a clawed paw and scratched his arm with enough force to knock him down.

"Buzz!" Andy cried.

"Run! Everybody scatter!" he cried. They did just that even as Buzz issued the rest of the order. "Keep them away from Andy!"

They went off in their own directions, except for Woody. He sayed with Andy as they ran. He wasn't going to let those cats hurt his boy. If anything he'd let them use his body as a scratching post if it meant his owner's safety. Hopefully the other toys could fool the cats into thinking it was only a bunch of toys that were moving, without a human amongst them. No doubt they had caught Andy's scent, or perhaps they were too noisy in their walking. Either way, he hoped they'd lose interest and go back to scouting the trash. It was obvious Andy was at risk. They'd mistake the minature human for a mouse, or maybe they were just desparate enough to have him for dinner. Woody wasn't going to let that happen.

Rex rounded a corner of the grass, whimpering and shaking his little claws nervously as he ran. The brown cat was right behind him. Without realizing it, Rex had run back to the trash cans where he had become cornered. He cowered as the cat lowered its face to the plastic dinosaur, confused as to why the two-legged lizard didn't carry a familiar odor.

"Aahh!, You don't want to hurt me, I like cats," he pleaded. Before the cat could realize what was different about this lizard, a potato crossed his path right between him and the dinosaur.

"Here kitty kitty kitty!" he cried.

The brown cat seemed to do a double take as Mr. Potato Head ran out of sight. Curious of this living food item, he gave chase. Mr. Potato Head lead him around the corner of the right side of the house. He hoped to lead him out into the street, but it didn't look like he'd make it in time. The brown cat was thin, but fast. Up ahead on the side of the house were a pile of boxes and bags of fertilizer. Mr. Potato Head made to hurry behind them for safety, but he failed to make it as his feet were knocked right out of him with a swipe from the cat. Potato Head rolled right up to the front of the bag and stopped. The cat advanced, now that his prey had no way to run.

Then all of sudden he jolted at the sound of a vicious dog. The cat hissed and hurried away. Mr. Potato Head looked behind him as Slinky exited from behind him, smiling.

"How'd you get here so fast?" Mr. Potato Head asked.

"Ha, you gotta be extra fast with an extra set of legs," he told him. "I saw that cat headin this way with Rex and thought I'd cut him off. You ain't hurt bad are you?" Slinky had suddenly noticed a cut alongside Potato Head's round body where his legs should be. He looked to inspect it himself.

"Nah, I'm not hurt bad. Just shows I'm not brand new no more. Now where are my legs?"

Hamm's jingly body rattled with the few coins he had left inside him as he was hunted down by the gray cat. He wasn't as fast as the others and he was sure he'd be caught any second. But what did it matter? Once the cat realized he wasn't real he'd leave him alone. The gray cat made a leapt and caught the piggy bank in its claws. Hamm went still like a toy; a different approach from the others. The cat rolled him about in its claws, before hissing in annoyance and walking away. Once Hamm was sure he was gone, he sighed and got back on his feet. He wasn't sure how far along Andy was to safety, but just in case, he would try to trick the cat again.

"Hey fuzzball!" The cat froze and tensed as if he understood the name calling. "Not into pork these days? Are you a vegetarian?"

The cat turned and made a run at him again. Hamm headed in the direction of the alley.

Meanwhile Buzz was pumping lead as he was apparently leading the orange cat in circles. He hoped he was stupid enough to fall for it. To keep him interested, he pressed his own buttons where his voice box sounded and his wings opened. Hopefully that and his glow-in-the-dark suit kept him entertained.

But the orange cat wasn't like the other cats. He was quickly becoming bored. Whatever these things were, they weren't what he smelled. He stopped halfway in the chase and looked around. He suddenly made a dash across the yard. No doubt he had spotted what he was really after.

"I never thought I'd be...running away from cats!" Andy cried as he ran ahead of Woody.

"Just be thankful it's only alley cats, and not lions!" Woody cried.

"At the moment, there's not much difference. If only Buster was here!" It was a fine time to leave him with a friend. But then again, he would have never known this would be happening to him. They were headed along the left side of the house. Though they weren't being chased at the moment, it was best to get as far away as possible. Woody hoped the others could keep the cats distracted long enough til they reached the street. But after that, he wasn't sure what to do next. He hated that they were separating like this and they had no way to contact one another again. Woody held the idea that it might be him and him alone who escorted Andy to Warrick's. It wasn't counting whether the toys would survive the attack or not, it would just be too risky to hang around and wait. But he'd worry about regrouping later. Right now, he had to make sure Andy...

Andy stopped so fast he stumbled and fell to the ground. Woody paused and stared in horror.

The orange cat had just leapt in front of them and was advancing on his boy. Andy gasped at the sight of the enormous beast; his scarred face making him look quite mad.

_"Andy,"_ Woody whispered urgently. Andy scooted back some, and the cat came forward. He had to get Andy out of here somehow-but there was only one way. "Andy run for it!" he cried.

"But!"

"Now Andy! Move it!"

The cat arched its back and hissed. Woody ran forward and jumped just as Andy got to his feet and turned, running back in the direction of the backyard.

Woody landed on it's face, the cat spitting and yowling and shaking its head in an effort to get the ragdoll off. Woody was sure it hadn't been this bad for Buzz when he did a similar move to save him; but of course Sid's pet Scott wasn't a cat.

He rolled onto his back and swiped Woody off to the side. It flicked its tail and started to advance.

Andy hurried through the tall grass, and momentarily cursed under his breath that the Smith's didn't bother to cut it. He had no way of knowing how close he was to the other cats. For all he knew he was headed straight to them. He slowed down when he heard a rustle. He hoped with all his heart it was one of his toys. He kneeled down on one knee, trying to catch his breath. His heart was pounding so fast he was sure it might stop from exhaustion any second. Then he looked up and lowered himself flat on the ground.

The brown cat had just run up close to him. He flicked his tail and was looking behind him. Andy raised himself up and watched. He was sure the cat was spooked by something, maybe something more than his toys. Then he heard a yell. It was Buzz calling to him. The cat turned and darted off behind Andy toward Buzz. Andy paused, fearful for his toys. These cats were mad! So starved they were desperate to go after plastic. But he wasn't afraid they'd eat his friends; he was afraid of how much damage they'd do to them. And Woody...he was back there risking every fiber of his being-for him. That cat would rip him to streads.

Andy stood and looked back, thinking there might be a chance to save his friends again. But he couldn't. The orange cat was running straight toward him!

He turned and hurried on. It seemed he was on his own. He used the danger of the situation to force himself to move faster. He crashed into the fence, and looked up thinking he'd have to climb it. But at the corner where both parts of the fence met was a gap. Andy squeezed through it and crossed into the next yard just as the cat made a swipe at him. Andy fell to the ground again and quickly pulled himself back up. The cat was squeezing through the fence. Andy squeezed under the fence of the neighbor's house and headed down the alley. He was getting further and further away from the others, but it couldn't be helped. The orange cat had just jumped onto the fence post and landed on the ground.

Andy crossed the alley to the houses on the other side where the fences were wooden and there were darker spots behind several garbage dumpsters. He had to get out of the open and out of the back alley lights. He ducked behind a dumpster and waited. The cat caught up to him and started peeking behind the narrow space. He reached in a clawed paw and nearly succeeded in pulling him out. Andy quickly searched for some means of protection and the only thing he found was a rusty nail. He picked it up and without hesitation, stabbed it into the cat's paw.

The yellow cat yowled in pain, but instead of deciding Andy wasn't worth it, he became even more angry and dug into the space with both claws. He had to get out of here! He looked to the opposite side of the dumpster and slipped out. He was back into the open alley space, two houses down from the backyard where his friends where. Before the cat realized the trick, Andy hurried on down, getting farther away from his toys. Maybe he could make it to the end and circle back from the front of the houses. It was safer than what was happening in the back so far.

The orange cat had quickly come to realize his target had got the best of him. He edged around the corner and saw what he wanted running for his life. He gave chase again. Andy looked over his shoulder and saw him. _Stupid cat!_ he thought angrily. But glancing back cost him and he fell to the ground violently. All the air was knocked out of his lungs. Andy choked and looked around. He had made it near a garbage dumpster with piles of newspaper, old furniture and other junk that created many dark places near it. If he could just get inside in time.

He jumped to his feet and hurried inbetween the crack of the dumpster. The cat had caught up to him just as he made it inside. Other trash items prevented Andy from moving further back. The cat took his chance and swiped at him. Luckily he'd only managed to make a small rip into his shirt and not into his flesh. He scooted further away from the cat and into the darkness. The cat hissed and pushed himself further in. Just as he was begining to think this was it, something grabbed him and pulled him further into hiding. The cat paused and looked up and down, hoping to see where he had gone. Suddenly a jet of water hit him full in the face. The cat cried in surprised and fled down the alley.

It was over and he was safe. Andy leaned his head back and allowed his heart to slow before turning to his saviors. He couldn't believe his toys had made it down here this far and this fast.

"Thanks guys, I thought I was..." He stopped instantly when he saw it wasn't his toys that had saved him. It was another set of toys completely different from his own. One was a rather large furry pink gorilla with plastic hands, feet and face. He tossed a silver marble up and down in his paw. Next to him was a plastic muscular wrestler with long orange hair and beard. He wore a black wrestler's outfit complete with cape. In one of his arms was a garden hose. Apparently he had pulled it from the neighbor's house behind him. He threw it to the side. And standing next to the wrestler was a G.I Joe doll that looked like he'd been in a war. The whole left side of him looked burned and charred like he'd been in an awful fire, and he was missing his left eye. But he still managed to glare down at Andy.

Andy scooted up to his feet and stared back at them. They weren't reacting the way Alissa's toys had, nor his own, where they were frightened of being discovered by a human; No, they weren't surprised to see him. Surely they knew he wasn't a toy?

"Ah, thanks guys," he said warily. "But who..." He trailed off as another figure approached the group from behind them. Andy paled when he recognized who it was.

"Well well well, isn't this conveniant," said the wizard toy Marvelo. "Here we were riding along in our mode of transportation." He paused as he gestured to a large black toy struck behind him. "Hoping to meet with you again, when you save us the trouble and found us."

"You," Andy growled. "You're the one that did this to me weren't you?"

"Pardon?" He teased as he raised a hand to his ear.

"You shrank me!"

"Oh that, well, I won't deny it. I do take credit for it," he said, as if it were an honor.

"Why you..." Andy charged for him, but he didn't get within a few inches of him as the G.I Joe and the wrestler grabbed his arms and restrained him. The pink gorilla chuckled and moved behind them as the wizard approached Andy.

"Why? Why did you do this to me!" Andy yelled. He struggled against his captives, but they were too strong.

"My dear boy, surely you don't wish to have this conversation in such a, _disgusting_ place. There will be plenty of time for that, later."

"What do you mean?" Andy cried. "What's going on?"

"All in good time," said the wizard calmly. "Right now we must be on our way. We don't want to miss our ride." The wizard gave a nodd. Andy turned his head and was met with a sharp pain across the back of his head; everything went black.

Andy slumped into unconsciousness and the G.I Joe and the wrestler dragged him in the direction of the truck. The pink gorilla that had been behind Andy, tossed the crystal ball he used to knock him out back to the wizard.

"Here you go boss," he said in a deep gruff voice.

Marvelo rubbed the ball across the grass to _clean _it off, then he pocketed it.

"Let us be on our way, before anything else delays us."

"Right boss," said the gorilla as he hobbled behind him on his fists and feet.

In a matter of minutes they would be gone, leaving no trace that they had ever been there at all.

**OH NO! Andy's been kidnapped! Sound familiar? And just when they'd made it back to the neighborhood in one piece. This was another chapter I really enjoyed writing. Probably because it's so dangerous and tense with a battle scene of cats! No one escapes without a scratch. That being said, I know you're eager to know the fate of Woody and of course Andy. Meanwhile the rest of the toys have no idea what happened. I told you it was going to get a little intense.**

**I'm sure you'll be checking in for the next chapter so keep reviewing. Love hearing your reactions. **


	19. Chapter 19

**Disclaimer: I don't own Toy Story**

**Oh boy! What's become of Andy? And what are Woody and the others going to do when they find out he's gone?**

Lost

The night, if possible, seemed to become much darker now. The Smith's backyard was now free of the horrible battle that took place between toys and cats. Hamm noticed the atmosphere was quieter as he stepped back into the yard after leading the gray cat back into the alley. He paused in his walk and shook his belly. Luckily he hadn't lost any change. The only thing he had gotten on him was a little dirt from the cat's paws. Twice he had been grabbed by the monster, before he realized the piggy bank was nothing to get too excited about. Hamm hadn't known how long to keep the cat on him, but insulting him and pretending to be alive and dead no longer interested the cat. He walked quietly down the alley.

Hamm headed back to where the gang had split up. Suddenly he dropped as low as his round body could crouch. The skinny brown cat had just run by him. He jumped the fence and headed in the direction of the gray cat. Two were gone, but what about the third? He was sure he had seen it running away down the alley. Surely that meant they were safe.

"Hey Hamm!" Slinky cried as he made his way over to him with Mr. Potato Head.

"Hey, I see you two made it out alive," Hamm noted.

"How could we not," said Mr. Potato Head. "I had man's best friend with me."  
"Yeah, and no cat's too fearless with a pooch around," Slinky laughed.

"Didn't seem to escape without a war wound," said Hamm as he noticed Potato Head's scar. Mr. Potato Head glanced down at it.

"Ah, it'll be something for the missus to see. To know her man fought bravely to save his friends."

"You mean ran,"said Hamm.

"That too."

"Where's Woody, Buzz and Andy?" asked Slinky.

"Let's find out," said Hamm. As they headed along the yard, they heard something running right toward them. Mr. Potato Head put out a hand to stop them as whoever it was came closer. But it turned out to be Rex, who was out of breath from running through the grass.

"Oh I'm so glad it's you guys," said Rex.

"Where've you been godzilla?" asked Mr. Potato Head.

"Running from cats! I thought they were right behind me."  
"No, they're long gone," said Hamm. "Right now we need to find the others."

Without knowing it, Buzz was close to finding another party member as he approached the left side of the house where Woody and Andy had a confrontation with the yellow cat. "Woody! Andy!" he called softly. He had spotted Hamm and the others regrouping not too far away, and understanding the seriousness of the situation he wanted to move on and quickly find Andy and Woody.

"Andy!"

There was a rustle in a pile of junk beside the house. Buzz paused, then came forward slowly. "Andy?" he asked softly. The pieces of cardboard and other trashy items fell aside as the tired form of Woody slowly popped out then collapsed on top of it.

"Woody!" Buzz cried. He hurried forward up the pile and grabbed Woody's arms. "On the count of three Woody, one, two, three!" Buzz pulled with all his might until Woody was free from the pile and they fell back onto the ground. Woody kneeled over and tried to catch his breath. Buzz kneeled down next to him full of concern. He didn't look like he was torn from any place. Out of all the toys, Woody had the most to lose, being made of cloth and stuffing. The others could take a beating, but the cowboy couldn't. Unfortunately he did. He looked like he had been roughed up badly, but surprisingly he didn't have a serious injury on him.

"Woody, are you all right?"

Woody nodded as he slowly came to his senses. "Yeah, yeah I think I'm all right." He got to his feet and wobbled a bit. Buzz came to his side to steady him. "I thought...I thought that cat was gonna, rip me to shreads. It almost did."  
"One of the cats caught up to you? How did you get away?"  
"I threw myself on it. He fought me, and was able to shake me lose," he paused and shook his head to gather his thoughts. "Most of it's a blur, he tossed me around, but I was able to get away and hide in that...pile. That cat kept reaching for me too...then there was a sound, and the rest of that junk fell on top of me."

Buzz took it all in, like a commander in awe of a brave soldier. Woody had pushed himself to that extent, but for what reason? He had told them all to keep the cats distracted, but Woody had gone as far as too physically attack them.

"Woody, you really could have been ripped to shreads," Buzz told him.

"I had no choice Buzz, I had to protect Andy...Andy," Woody hesitated as the narrow escape came back to him. "Andy! Where's Andy?" he demanded as he shook Buzz.  
"I, I don't know. I didn't know you were with him.."

Woody ran past Buzz, not bothering to hear the rest of his explaination. "Andy!" he shouted. "Andy!"

Hamm and the others had made it to the center of the yard by the time Woody came running by crying out.

"Whoa there Woody!" Hamm shouted. "What's going on?"  
"Have you guys seen Andy?"

Hamm and the others exchanged looks that quickly turned into fear. "No," Slinky admitted. "We were on our way to find you."

Woody turned around to the house and saw the trash cans. He hurried over to them.

"Woody, what are you..." Buzz started as he joined them. He watched as Woody akwardly climbed up the closed trash can and stood on top. He quickly scanned the yard, but there was no sign of their owner. The yard seemed quiet and undisturbed, with nothing but a few toys about.

No. It couldn't be. Andy was no where in sight. He felt something very heavy and unpleasant fall to the pit of his stuffed stomach. If Woody could pale, he was sure he'd be whiter than a ghost. _No..._he thought horribly. "NO!" He leaped off the trash can and made a mad dash across the yard, going nowhere in particular. He was gasping in panic. Everything seemed to be spinning. His whole purpose for coming on this trip, his mission as a protector was a failure. _No._ He did not...he could not believe it. Woody could no longer run as he stopped in the center of the yard and kneeled over in shock and exhaustion. It could not be. Andy, his owner, his best friend was _not_ gone.

As if to prove it Woody threw his head back and gave another desperate cry into the night. "ANDY!"

His voice was loud enough for the Smith's to hear, but his hopes went completely unoticed.

Perhaps his voice was somehow heard from very far away. The blackness that had clouded him faded as Andy came to. He groaned from the throbbing pain that was left by the surprise attack. Andy blinked several times as he tried to clear his senses. The first thing he noticed was a wall of brown in front of him and beside him. He also noticed he was kneeling on his knees, and when he tried to get up he couldn't. He looked behind him and saw that his hands were tied behind his back by a zip-tie that was used to bind toys to their boxes. The same had been done to his feet.

He struggled as if he could break the simple plastic bindings but all it did was cut into his flesh.

"Nice to see you're awake, but you might as well go back to sleep and enjoy the ride."

Andy turned to his right and saw the wizard grinning back at him. The wrestler, the pink gorilla and the G.I Joe were also there grouped with him. The anger he had felt upon seeing him resurfaced. He glanced all around him and quickly realized he, along with the wizard and his associates, were inside a large cardboard box. It was so high Andy couldn't see where they were in the box. But considering the ceiling and the smooth vibrations under him, he assumed they were traveling in a car.

"Where am I?" he demanded.

"I think the more appropriate question to ask is where am I going," Marvelo corrected. "That, you'll find out soon enough."

"You never answered my question," Andy cried. "Why did you shrink me! And where are you taking me!"

"Tsk tsk tsk, not very patient are you boy?" Marvelo said with false disappointment. The pink gorilla stepped closer and cracked his knuckles.

"Want me to keep him quiet boss?" he asked.

"No no no, let him enjoy his final days of freedom."  
"Freedom!" Andy declared. "You call this freedom?"

"From where we're headed, yes."  
"Who are you! Tell me right now! Why are you doing this! And what were you doing in the alley?"

At first Andy didn't think he'd answer, but then after considering him he marched right up to Andy.

"You know for a while I thought you had gotten away, or ended up killed," he said seriously. Andy was taken aback and gaped at him.

"What? What do you-"  
"When you traveled off with those pathetic toys of yours, I thought I'd have to come up with a new strategy. But then that street contraption came along, however I did not lose hope that you would somehow come back; if you were that desperate to grow up again, and if your toys were that desperate to make it so. And look, I was right."

"How did you know about that?" Andy demanded. "How did you know they were helping me?"  
"Why spies of course, how else. I have the whole neighborhood on look out. They told me everything from the moment you left the house. But upon meeting those infernal toys of yours, I knew it would be tricky to get to you, especially when you weren't my first choice." Marvelo stepped away and turned his back on him.

"Your first choice?" Andy questioned. Then it hit him. "You mean, Molly? You were going to do what you did to me to my sister?"

The others toys grinned as Marvelo turned back around to face him.

"So you are bright after all. Yes, your sister, but circumstances changed when she had to leave and when you and your toys kept butting in. I didn't want to return empty handed. He's always hated you and I've never had much of an affinity for, _teenagers_ so I chose to kill two birds with one stone. A risky move on my part, but I knew we'd somehow get you in the end."

"He?" Andy questioned. "Who's he? Who's hated me?"

The wizard paused as if considering whether to answer him or not. Instead he continued with his speech.

"My spies continued to watch the streets every day and every night for any sign of you. And when you were located my party and I headed out to intercept your group. Now tell me," he paused as he grabbed Andy's hair and yanked back his head, forcing him to look the wizard in the eyes. "How is it you ended up away from your party? Did you tire of them, were they slowing you down?"

Andy struggled against him and glared. "I didn't tire of them. They've been nothing but great friends to me, their owner their friend. Something you obviously don't understand."  
"I see," said the wizard as he released his grip on Andy. "I suppose the feline that was hunting you down had something to do with it. No matter. Those toys probably think you've been eaten. Saves the trouble of us ever dealing with them."  
"No! You're wrong!" Andy cried. But even as he said it, his voice cracked with emotion. They had no idea what had happened to him. For all he knew, Woody and the others believed he had become cat food. "They'll, I'll... you can't..whatever it is you're planning, you're not going to get away with it."

The wizard laughed, along with the other toys. "A typical thing to say when you're in this type of situation," he told him. "But it's too late now." He turned away and joined the other toys in the corner. Andy struggled harder against the bindings. If he could just get his hands around his neck, but he was sure choking the wizard would not hurt him. But then Andy's attention turned to the vibrations as the car slowed to a stop. A minute passed and it started again.

"Who's driving?" Andy asked. "Is it Warrick?"  
"It's whoever you want it to be," the wizard sneered.

"HELP! HELP Get me out of here!" he yelled. He banged against the wall of the cardboard with his shoulder as if he were strong enough to knock it over or make enough noise on it to get attention. But he was just too small and the box was too big.

"That won't do no good," said the wrester. "He can't hear you."

"My large muscled friend is right," the wizard agreed. "We are in the backseat of a station wagon. He cannot hear you now. _No one can_."

Andy felt a shiver at the way he said it and when a dark look crossed his face. Where ever he was going, it was far away from his destination and even farther away from his friends. Andy leaned his head against the wall of the cardboard and sighed. It sickened him to know that they might be thinking the worst of what had become of him, and even Andy didn't know that much yet. But he was sure the wizard was right about one thing, unfortunately. So far his toys had proved themselves to be more helpful and daring than Andy could ever have imagined. They had proved that their small size could not hold them back from doing the impossible; from risking their lives and helping their owner in any way that they could. But Andy couldn't see how they could possible help him now, when they had no idea where to look. They weren't coming. He was on his own, just like he had wanted to be when Buzz first suggested they travel with him. But he didn't want to be on his own. He wanted his toys, he wanted Woody.

He felt like a child, wanting his old time cowboy by his side, but he wasn't embarrased to feel that way. He looked up at the ceiling of the car as he thought of him. _Woody._ But that did little to ease the fear of whatever lay ahead for him now.

Hamm, Mr. Potato Head, Slinky and Rex all sat on a group of bricks near the base of the trash cans. They sat in silence, faces hung as if they had completely given up. In a way they had, but for now they needed to rest and collect their thoughts. But their thoughts were very lonely and sad. The same could be said for Buzz, who sat above them on an old box. For much of the time his face was hung, but whenever his old friend passed by, he'd look up. Woody was the only one who hadn't accepted it.

They had spent less than an hour scouring the entire yard, calling Andy's name. They looked everywhere, in every small crevice, behind every piece of unnoticable trash. But he was nowhere. Buzz concluded it quickly. Andy was not here; Andy was gone.

Woody refused to believe it. He has shouted at them for giving up, then went off to search the yard a second time on his own. The other toys didn't have the heart to tell him to stop; that it was useless. They wanted to find Andy as much as he did, but if they could not find him they hoped that Woody somehow could.

It was well over an hour now and their silent thoughts turned to the reasons why Andy was not around, but nobody could say it out loud. It sickened them to even think it. But as Buzz heard Woody shuffling through the trash pile where he'd been hiding he felt he had no choice but to break the painful news. With a great sigh, he hopped down from the box and walked around the side of the house. The other toys watched his every move as all their thoughts were with him.

Buzz hesitated as he watched Woody, further ruin the Smith's yard by throwing their junk all over the place. Though some pieces were too heavy for a toy to move, Woody let his emotions empower him. Buzz could hear him muttering under his breath with determination. He knew he was here, somewhere; and if not here in this pile, then somewhere else in this yard. Slowly Buzz approached him. It was time for him to end this before he cracked.

"Woody," he called softly. As expected, he was ignored. Buzz came closer and pulled him away. "Woody!" He sighed. "I'm sorry, but you have to stop."  
Woody gave him a cold look, one Buzz hadn't seen since the cowboy had been jealous of him. "Let go of me," he warned. "I have to find Andy."  
"He's not here Woody, can't you see that."  
"He has to be. Where else do you expect me to find him?" he cried, throwing his hands into the air.

Buzz turned away. As horrible as it was to think about, it was even harder to say. "Maybe,...maybe we couldn't save him in time. Maybe he's..."

Woody's eyes widened, then his frown deepened. "He's not...not my boy, not Andy," he insisted, his voice cracking with anguish. "He did not become cat food!"

He turned to the pile and kicked at an old pipe. The thought had played quietly at the back of the cowboy's mind, but he had pushed it away. He did not know what happened after the yellow cat caused more junk to fall upon him. All he knew was that if forced Andy to be alone with them.

But there was no way the cats could have gotten him. No. He couldn't believe that Andy was...

"Maybe, maybe we didn't check the other side of the house good enough!" Woody cried hopefully as he hurried away. Buzz was about to say something, but was forced to stop and run after him. This was enough.

"Woody! Woody stop! Wait!"

The other toys looked up as they came running into the yard.

"Woody stop!"

"Or maybe he's-"  
"Stop it Woody." He turned around to face Buzz. "We've searched this entire yard already. You've searched it twice. Three cats against a group of toys. I know it's hard, but you have to realize..."  
"Realize what Buzz! Huh? That we failed? That your stupid plan of scattering nearly got us killed and lost Andy."

Buzz wasn't surprised to get some of the blame. He was also responsible for Andy's wellfare. "I'm sorry Woody. I was trying to do what was best for Andy." Woody softened at the apology and took a few steps back. It wasn't so much as Buzz's fault as it was his.

"So that's it...huh," his voice was cracking even more as the truth finally sunk in. "Andy is..." He couldn't finish it. The emotion of it was too great. He collapsed right there before Buzz. Woody drew his knees up to him, curling up into a ball. If he were capable of crying, he would have, but all he could do was sob quietly. That was it. He would never see his owner, his best friend again. What was he going to do? Worse, what were mom and Molly going to do when they found out Andy was missing? He felt he had to tell them somehow, but it seemed impossible. Buzz placed a gentle hand on Woody's shoulder and looked over at the other toys. They exchanged fearful looks and made to head over to them.

"Woody, I take full responsibility for what happened to Andy," he said quietly. After several minutes, Woody spoke.

"No, it was my fault. I couldn't protect him. I let those...those stupid cats take him away from me." He paused and looked up at the sky. "You know, I had hoped for someway to reconnect with him. I didn't know how, and I didn't know it would be like this, but up til now I was happy for it. To be able to talk to Andy, to get to know him better and for him to get to know us. I'd like to think we really made an impact on him. And then I promised I'd be there for him...but I couldn't even do that."

"Don't beat yourself up about it," Buzz warned.

"But it's true. I failed him Buzz. I lost Andy."

Woody curled up again, allowing the misery to over take him. Buzz looked to the others for comfort, but they could not give him any either. Buzz bit his lip and stared down at the ground. He didn't want to believe it either, that Andy was gone after they had come so close. Perhaps they had not looked far enough.

"Maybe," Buzz started slowly. "Maybe you're right."  
Woody looked up, slightly surprised that Buzz was accusing him of losing Andy. But he allowed it to sadden him further.

"Maybe the cats didn't get him. We can't give up yet. Maybe he's somewhere in the alley. Hidden."

Hope started to come to Woody as he got to his feet. "Yeah, yeah he's got to be. If it wasn't safe for him to be in the yard."  
"Right. We'll search up and down the alley and in the neighbor's yards if we have to, all the way up to Warrick's," Buzz decided.

"Warrick's?" Slinky questioned.

"We were headed there. If we don't find Andy in the alley or in the yards then maybe he made it to Warrick's," said Buzz.

"But surely Andy wouldn't go all the way there without us?," said Hamm.

"There were three cats against us," Buzz continued. "There might have been more in the alley. If so, Andy might have thought it was too risky to turn around and get us. We all know the destination. But for now, we'll spread out, not too far, and search."  
It was the best they had for now. They would spread out and search each section of the alley and the backyards of the neighbors. This time there wouldn't be any rest breaks. They wouldn't stop until Andy was safe with them again.

Buzz lead the group in the direction of the alley with everyone behind him. Woody hurried forward and walked next to him.

"We'll find him out there, won't we Buzz? Andy will be okay."

It was more than a question, Buzz realized. Woody wanted confirmation that they could still find and help Andy. That he really hadn't wound up in the belly of an alley cat. Buzz looked him straight in the eye, letting Woody know he could believe him, although one part of him was still worried.

"You have my word sheriff, Andy will be okay."

Woody nodded and turned away. As determined as he suddenly felt, he couldn't help believing that Andy might somehow be in terrible danger. That if he was hiding somewhere in the alley or backyards, he wasn't as safe as he should be.

**Ah, poor Andy, poor Woody. Don't think things will be easy for either of them for a while, and that's thanks to that evil wizard. Buzz is right, Andy's not safe. Anyways, we're headed for darker territories here and I'm sure you're wondering if Woody and the others will ever find Andy. This was a slightly short chapter, but you did learn that the wizard is clearly up to something. He's not taking Andy for nothing.**

**Glad you guys enjoyed the thrills of the previous chapters. And there's more to come so keep up the reviews!**


	20. Chapter 20

**Disclaimer: I don't own Toy Story**

**The situation just got a little more intense! Where have they taken Andy? And why? You'll know soon enough.**

Welcome Home

The gentle vibrations of the car had been enough to put Andy asleep for the ride. It was just as well. It gave him a chance to ease his mind and drift away from his current problem. But then the ride came to a stop. Andy shifted but did not wake, not even when the car door slammed and another one opened. Andy was starting to rouse out of it just as he felt the box shake. Andy panicked and looked up just as the flaps of the box were being closed down.

"Wha,..hey! HEY!" he cried. The whole interior of his prison became black with darkness. "HELP! GET ME OUT OF HERE!"

Andy slipped from his kneeling position to the floor of the box as it was being lifted into unsteady hands.

"I told you silly boy," sang the wizard's voice. "It's pointless. You're with us now."

Andy rolled to the side of the box with a sudden bounce of the box. The wizard muttered bitterly under his breath.

"You'd think after all this time he'd learn to carry us decently."

"Who is that? Who's carrying us?" Andy asked him. "Is it your owner? Is it Warrick?"

"He is not my owner boy," the wizard told him indignantly.

"Then who is it? Is he in on what you're doing?"

"Quiet!" he ordered sharply. "Or I'll have Pinky make you so."

Andy buttoned his lip. It was bad enough it was so dark he couldn't see the nose on his face, but not being able to see where the toys were in the box with him forced him to say no more. He had an awful feeling that the gorilla was standing over him as they moved.

The box stopped it's movements and Andy rolled onto his stomach. Millions of thoughts ran through his head, but the main one he wanted to know now was who was carrying their box. Surely it had to be someone who was in on the whole thing. There was no way he hadn't heard him screaming. _Or maybe,_ he thought to himself, _He assumed him to be a toy._ But surely he wasn't that stupid. No. He had to be in on it, whoever he was.

The box started moving again. Andy tried not to panic. He felt like they were getting closer to their destination. He felt one last bounce as the box was apparently set down. Then there was a ripping noise and a stream of light entered. Andy craned his head and saw the wall of the box across from him being pulled open like a door. He barely got a glimpse of the fingers, but nothing else. The pink gorilla chuckled then shuffled right out. He was left with the wrestler, the G.I Joe and the wizard guarding him. Andy sighed and turned away. Whatever was happening next wasn't going to be good.

No sooner had the gorilla left did he return, carrying a box cutter. It may have been regular size for a human, but for Andy's size it was like a wide sword. The gorilla, Pinky, had a pleased grin on his face as he hobbled up to Andy. Perhaps he was enjoying his fear. Andy wasted no time in struggling to get as far away from him as possible. He managed to get himself in an upright position in the corner.

"Get away from me!" Andy ordered. But Pinky didn't follow. He quickly moved his foot behind Andy's back and forced him flat onto his stomach. Andy struggled again, but Pinky held him down.

"Don't wanna be cut, don't move," he instructed. Out of the corner of his eye Andy watched as Pinky brought the blade down. Regardless of his clumsy appearance as an ape he was able to gently get the tip under the zip-tie that bound his feet. There was a pop and his legs were free. Andy kept still as he went to free his hands. Then he brought them close underneath him as if he were about to spring himself up to his feet. But Pinky still held him down and was holding the blade threateningly over his body. The wrester and the soldier came forward just as Pinky pulled his foot off him. Andy had no time to make a run for it as the soldier and wrester quickly took ahold of his arms. They dragged him to the exit out of the box. The bright light caught Andy off guard, but when it passed, he saw that they were on the tiled floor of what looked like an office space. Documents, folders, file cabinets and every other business object that was expected was crowded in the small room. Andy felt too worn out from stress to take full interest in the room and why he was in it.

"You couldn't have been a little smoother," Marvelo grumbled as he brushed his robes. "There were live toys in there you know!"

Andy glanced over at him and saw that he was talking to someone behind him. Someone he could not see. His guards turned him around and Andy was finally able to see who had brought them here.

On the side of the room with a computer desk, finishing an intense game of online chess was Warrick. His face worked furiously as he tried to outsmart his annonimous player. He was more focused on the game than the fact that the wizard had been talking to him. Warrick made a move, then his player made another resulting in a _checkmate_. Warrick grumbled angrily, then sighed.

"I never was really good at chess, let alone internet chess." He turned away from the screen and rolled across the floor in his chair. He picked up the box and tossed it aside so he could get a better view of the new arrivals.

"I'm sorry, I'll try to be smoother next time," he apologized.

"That'll be the day," the G.I Joe said under his breath.

Andy could only stare, his mouth dropping slightly. Though he wasn't surprised to see it was his secluded neigbor down the street, it still came as something of a shock to see him; especially now since the last time he saw him they were on an eye to eye level. Warrick crouched down and grinned at Andy, then he looked to Marvelo.

"I'm still not sure he'd be a good addition to our, extended family. I mean he is fifteen? Right? He's not a kid anymore."

"He'll do fine," Marvelo assured him, while looking Andy up and down like he was a new car. "Once he adjusts he'll be no different from the others. Age not making a difference. But should he not do fine, well we can take care of that as well."

"Wha...what's going on!" Andy demanded. He looked to Warrick with fury. "You...you're behind this! You planned this all along!"

"No no no," Warrick told him. "Remember, I advised you to give my Marvelo to Molly. But apparently I was wrong about you. You aren't too old for toys so you kept him for yourself. Then Marvelo told me his reasoning for the changes and well, I guess I'm not too disappointed."

Andy worked the news into his mind as something else came to it. The reason why they wanted Molly and the fact that his mother was so worried for her.

"Those kids," Andy stated. "The missing kids. You and your wizard had something to do with it didn't you?" Warrick didn't answer but Andy knew he was right.

"Ah, children," Warrick sighed. "I've always liked them at a young age. They're so innocent and small, and playful. Not like teenagers, so wrapped up with themselves and growing up, and not like you."  
"Me? What did I ever do to you?"

"Nothing, but suspect me. Spreading ideas of the kind of person I was to the rest of the neighborhood, since you were the only one who could, really see me. But now that Marvelo's taken care of that, I can take my time with things. I won't have to worry so much about getting caught," Warrick paused as his face softened. "However..."  
"Don't start with the regrets old man," the wizard warned. "What's done is done. I think our capture of this boy can set a new trend. Kids who've become older and no longer interested in their plastic pals, will again with our help. After all he was in the company of his own toys not too long ago."

"Ahh, I see," said Warrick.

"They were taking me to you," Andy explained angrily. "So you can get me back to my normal size. Whatever reason you have for me being small, I'm not interested."

"Well," said Warrick after a thought. "That's too bad."

"Why are you doing this?"

"Oh Andy, I thought you knew me," he said frowning. "I fix toys remember. I make then better than they were before. Surely you've noticed that with my wizard." He gestured to Marvelo who waved his wand. Andy tensed, but he didn't go through the motion to make him shrink again. "Don't worry, you won't get any smaller if he does it again. At least, I don't think so. Anyways going back to what I was saying, I make toys better, physically, and since I learned their _secret_ of being more than just objects I've worked to fix them mentally; make them happier, especially when they've been abandoned, abused, broken, you name it. It is my goal, my chance to speak for those who can't risk speaking for themselves. Surely you've learned the same things from your own toys. How lonely they felt after years of neglect from you."  
Andy hesitated as those words sunk in, but he refused to allow Warrick to make him feel guilty, particularly now. "But what does that have to do with me being small?" Andy growled.

"I'm glad you asked that," Warrick said with a dreamy smile. The soldier and the wrestler released Andy. Then Warrick reached down and quickly picked him up, his large fingers wrapping around his small body. Andy gasped from the unatrual feeling of being picked up like this. He pushed against his hold, but it was pointless.

"Let go of me!" he cried fearfully. His desperate attempt to wriggle out of his grasp, despite how high up he was, was useless. He was forced to allow Warrick to bring him closer to his face.

"You and all the others like you will help those toys feel needed again. Fill the role they were created to be, playthings for people. I suppose the shoe is on the other foot. You now know what it feels like to be a toy, or you soon will be."

"I'm no toy!" he yelled. Warrick tighted his grip, causing Andy to gasp from the pain.

"Then think of it as a life lesson."

"I think of it as punishment. Some kind of sick revenge," Andy remarked. He didn't know why he'd said it. He didn't know anything of Warrick's past, but surley his schemes related to whatever had happened in his past. If he could learn what it was, perhaps he could get out of this yet.

"The only revenge would be for the toys. I'm simply helping them achieve what they want, what all toys want. Playtime, with their human."

Andy stared into his giant eyes as thoughts of his own toys came to him. Their confessions of how it felt to watch him grow up and drift away from him. Now it seemed that when Warrick said it, Andy understood better of how they felt. How it hurt them.

"But, like this?" Andy asked, frightened.

"Why not like this? Now they'll never grow up. You'll never be too big for them." He laughed and lowered Andy halfway then dropped him onto the floor. Andy tumbled out of his hand and was quickly taken prisoner by the soldier and wrester again.

"Take him to get freshened up, then put him to bed," Warrick ordered. The wizard signaled for the toys to follow the command.

"Warrick!" Andy called. "You can't do this! You can't keep me like this!"

"Silence boy," the wizard warned.

Warrick momentarily watched them go before rolling back to his computer screen and attempting another round of internet chess.

"I bet I'll checkmate you this time."

Andy gave a great sigh as he was pulled forward around a corner and down a hall. He could barely pay much notice of it as the reality of what was happening hit him. He had been kidnapped. And to think these kinds of things usually happened to children. But as it had happened to him, he felt it was in his best interest to find out where he was. In the event he would have to report it to the cops. But what cop would believe he had been shrunk?

Looking up, the space they were in was great compared to what any room space should look like for a shrunken person. Due to being restricted Andy couldn't get a good grasp on where he was, but he was sure this wasn't Warrick's house. It was some kind of storage building. As they turned another corner, Andy saw it was the bathroom. A very small bathroom with a dirty toilet squeezed into a corner, no bathtub, and a doorless cabinet of small sized towels. Accomodations had been made apparently for the toys to reach the cabinet of towels and to reach a long counter that contained what had four sinks. Andy could only assume it as there were miniature red curtains pulled around, hiding what was inside. There were long makeshift ladders and even stairs leading up to anything too high. Andy's guards stopped him in front of one of the ladders leading to the sink. Before anything was done, the sound of someone approaching from a nook around the corner inside the room, came to them.

A patchwork ragdoll with a soft, patchwork, sunflower head, and a medium sized toy washing machine with a face bounced around the corner. The patchwork sunflower doll was carrying a few towels. Andy could see water and soap sloshing around inside the washer through the plastic door that served as its nose.

"You heard what Warrick said," said the wizard, looking at him with disgust. "So clean up, you're filthy."

Andy glared in annoyance, but he did have a point. The long journey from his house, then across the city and back again had left him feeling sweathy and gritty. Without a word he made to climb up the ladder.

"Oh, and dear,"

Andy looked around to see that the washer was talking to him. She smiled sweetly, reminding him of a particular teapot in an old disney film. "When you get undressed," she paused to giggle bashfully. "Please toss your clothes down here. I'll have them washed and cleaned before you're done."

Andy didn't respond and simply climbed up the ladder onto the counter. The red curtains were pulled back and he was met with a humanoid plastic duck with a springy bottom for legs. Andy had been right. Behind the curtains was a sink. The duck threw a couple of small cloths into his arms then pointed at a large hand soap dispenser. Without saying anything, he bounced out of the sink and down the counter to another one. It was self explaintory, he supposed, but then again Andy had never showered in a sink before. Nonetheless he jumped down into it to give it a try. As silently promised, he tossed his clothes over for the washer to clean.

Nice, hot water was just the thing he needed. As it turned out, showering under a sink wasn't much different from showering in a regular shower, except maybe for the hand soap dispenser part. But at least it had been filled with shower gel. For the fifteen minutes he was there, he was able to get a little bit of relief. Hopefully it would help clear his mind so he could figure out how to get out of this. But for now, he was just happy to clense himself. To wash away the difficulties of his long treck. When he was done, he found his clothes had already been brought to him and was waiting for him on the counter. Andy took his clothes and changed behind the curtain. When he was ready he left the sink and stepped back onto the counter to have a look around. There was no other way out of this room except through the door, so for now escaping was out. He peered over the edge and saw even if he did find a way, he couldn't get past the group of bath toys milling about back and forth in the bathroom. And waiting for him as guards near the door were Marvelo and company. Andy frowned in annoyance and as if knowing he was watching, Marvelo turned around and smiled at him.

"Decent are we?" he called up to him.

Andy cursed under his breath and made his way back down the ladder. Marvelo and his minions met with him when he made it to the floor.

"Ah, much better," Marvelo observed as he studied Andy. "You may do better here than I thought."  
"Don't count on it," Andy warned.

"Shall we?" Marvelo asked as he gestured to the exit. Andy shrugged off the soldier and wrestler who went to grab his arms again. He wasn't going to fight them, but he didn't want to be dragged along anymore. Marvelo led the way, the others stayed close behind Andy just to make sure he didn't try to make a break for it. But Andy was much more focused on understanding where he was. It was definately some large storage building. A warehouse of some kind. They were heading down a long hall and passing rooms with large closed doors. The walk passed in silence, which was fine for Andy. He didn't want to be conversing with his company, but it may be his only time to get information for a while.

"So, since I'm apparently stuck here forever, you mind telling me where I am?"

Marvelo looked back at him and frowned, unsure if he was trying to be smart. "In Warrick's home away from home," he answered simply.

"You mean, a warehouse," Andy observed. "I didn't know Warrick had a warehouse."

"Yah do now," said Pinky as he laughed stupidly.

"How long has he had this warehouse? Ever since he moved into the neighborhood or ever since he started this shrinking kids thing?"

"You ask too many questions, and you're far too impatient," Marvelo replied. "It is none of your concern."

But Andy didn't stop. "Where exactly is this warehouse? Is it outside the city?" Pinky suddenly jumped in front of him growling.

"He said you ask too many question. Be silent."

Andy backed down as the whole group stopped. Marvelo placed a gentle hand on the gorilla's shoulder to excuse him.

"Now now now Pinky. We should give our guest a break. Afterall it is his first time here, but he'll learn soon enough. Take him."

The soldier and wrestler took ahold of Andy's arms again and they continued on their way. It was the end of asking questions. They continued on down the lonely, cold gray hall.

A few minutes later the group made another turn into a well lit area. Andy, who had been watching the ground, raised his head up when they made a stop. Before him was a most unexpected sight. He had assumed he was going to be locked away in some cell all alone. But that wasn't going to be the case. It was an open area with a large number of toys walking up and down the middle of two rows of wire cages facing each other on either side of the space. There was also a second row of cages on top of the first, creating a low and high level. They were like animal cages with thick bars, but Andy was still able to see what many of those cages contained. Children! Lots of children, one to a cage. Children that had been shrunk like him. They weren't placed in any special order. Some had an empty cage next to them or above them, while a few were close together.

The G. gave a push to get Andy moving forward. Against his will he was forced to walk between the path of the line of cages like the other toys. He felt like he was walking death row in a prison movie. As they moved, several of the toys stopped to see the new prisoner, but Andy's eyes wasn't on them. He was focused on every child he passed in a cage. Some were huddled in a corner, either awake or fidgeting in a troubled sleep, while others crawled to the front to take a good look at the newcomer. Frightened, innocent eyes stared back at him and he wanted nothing more than to take them all and get them out of here. They weren't in warm beds like young kids should be. No. They were forced to sleep on piles of cloth like dogs. And like a hamster, a pet's water bottle was attatched to the outside. There was no hamster wheel to run around in. They had nothing but the cold wire mesh all around them, trapping them in this dark place.

As he passed one cage, his eyes connected with a pretty blonde headed girl with blue eyes. He was sure he recognized her. Out of all the frightened looking kids, she seemed most willing to put on a brave face.

"No trouble while I was away was there?" asked Marvelo.

Andy turned around to see he was talking to a random bunch of toys; a half man half robot who was taking the lead, along with a baseball player carrying a bat, a red plastic crab with large claws, a clown jack in the box, and a large fluffy gray and white bunny with a patch over his left eye like a pirate. However there was one toy among the group that stood out to Andy. It was a small bear, slightly taller than himself. He was a dirty gray with a droopy yellowing mustache and eyebrows, and a worn down body that didn't have the plumpness a teddy bear should possess. He did possess a zipper across his stomach making a pouch. Unlike the upbeat and sinister attitude of the others, he appeared very sad, like all he needed was the best hug in the world to cheer him up again. But that wasn't what had stolen Andy's attention. He couldn't help feeling the bear was very familiar. He was sure he had seen him before but he just couldn't place it.

Marvelo wrapped up his conversation and Andy was forced to press on again. The group of oddball toys moved along, the sad bear following behind with a slowness in his step. Andy watched him go, still concerned as how he knew him. But he couldn't focus on that as he was being led to one of the cages. The bottom was being occupied by a small boy with brown hair. He gripped the bars tightly as he studied Andy carefully.

Another soldier came along, rolling a wide set of stairs in front of the cage. He also handed Marvelo a key. The wizard headed up the stairs and Andy was escorted up behind him. Marvelo opened the cage and stepped aside as Andy was pushed in, falling to the floor of the wire. He hurried to his feet as if he'd have enough time to get back out before it was shut and locked. But he wasn't so lucky. Andy gripped the bars and shook them.

"Let me out of here!" he demanded. "You can't keep me in here!"

The wizard was turning to leave, but paused to consider him. "Oh, and where is it you'd like me to keep you?" The other toys laughed.

Andy growled with rage. "I'm not, going to be your plaything."

"I believe that ship has sailed. You are _owned _now and there's nothing you can do about it. Nobody knows you're here, nobody's coming for you. You are home now, so welcome to it."

Andy fumed and reached through the bars for his neck, but Marvelo stepped out of the way of danger and chuckled. "I suggest you get a good night's sleep. You have a big day ahead of you." He turned and headed back down the stairs. Soon he and his guards were heading out of sight, leaving only a few patroling toys in the area.

Andy sighed and fell away from the bars and inspected his prison. It was in perfect condition, which meant that his only way out of here was with the key. But that didn't stop Andy from shaking on a few spots; mainly out of anger.

"Let me out of here! Hey! Let me out!" he roared. "You can't do this to us! We're not a bunch of-"

"That isn't going to work," said a quiet voice.

Andy looked down and saw the boy watching him from below. His features, for some reason, seemed familar to Andy; perhaps he had seen him on t.v.

"I screamed my head off the first night I was brought here. Doesn't work. All it does is make the toys angry." He shivered as he looked over at the toys. "And you don't want to make them angry."

"You, and all these kids," Andy started. "You're the ones that were mysteriously kidnapped."

The boy nodded. "And so were you."

Andy couldn't deny that. As much as he wanted to believe this was all just a nightmare, he couldn't. He had become a victim himself, and he wasn't even a kid. His eyes drifted over to the water bottle attatched to his cage. Without a second thought he kneeled below and started guzzling on the steel straw hungrily. He didn't care if it made him look like an animal, he was thirsty. Water had been a pain to find in the city. He mostly had to rely on outdoor faucets or drips of water left on tables as they traveled. But this, plus the added bonus of a sink shower did little to make up for everything. But it was enough to replenish him and clear his thoughts.

When he was done, he stumbled back and studied what he could see of the warehouse. From his point of view it looked huge, and with that in mind, there was no telling how many toys lived here. He didn't spot any cameras to let him know Warrick could be watching, but that didn't seem to matter. He was trapped here, with no way out.

Maybe it was the stress of what he'd been through added with what was happening now, but he was starting to fall into real despair. He was far away from the good toys that had helped him and as much as he gathered from Warrick, there was nothing he could do to unshrink himself. It was as he'd said, that he'd _'never grow up'._ Andy and the others were stuck being small.

He grabbed ahold of the front bars with a hand and covered his face with his other one.

"What am I going to do now?" he whispered sadly to himself.

"You should get some sleep," said the small boy. He was lowering himself onto the cloths and pulling one over him like a cover. "And try not to think about it."

"I don't want to get some sleep," he lied. He could feel how tired he was. "I want to go home."

"We are home, now," he heard the boy whisper.

Andy looked down at him, then peered around at the other kids who were settling in for the night. If there was one positive thing that came from this, it was the fact that he'd found the missing children. But in the end, he turned into a missing child himself.

**Oh boy. Andy's in quite a serious situation, and because of that, I'm sorry to say we'll be spending some time here in the warehouse. On a good note, we did learn what became of all those missing children. With the fact that I just bought TS3 on dvd, I can't help comparing this scene to Lotso's lock up on Andy's toys, obviously. Now this story has something in relation to all three of the movies. But in relation to TS3, there's the twist, that it's not toys that are locked up to play with wild kids, it's the other way around. It wasn't intended to be similar to that scene in the movie. If anything, this story is elaborating on what it means to grow up and let go; with the focus on not only Woody, but Andy as well. Andy's now on his own without his toys. But is he in the mindset to make mature decisions about his entrapment? I believe this kidnapping will definately force him to confront situations and fears that he's never come across before. I'm looking forward to exploring the mentality of Andy, not to mention Woody, during their separation.**

**Anyways, keep up with the reviews and hang in there for another update!**


	21. Chapter 21

**Disclaimer: I don't own Toy story**

**Thank you guys for all of your reviews. I didn't realize how suspensful I'd made the last chapter. Just to let you know there are thirty something kids in this place. Andy's hoping for some kind of way out, but before he can do that, it looks like he'll have to experience what's going on here.**

The New Toy

Upon the pile of rags, sprawled out in a supposed akward position was Andy snoozing quietly away. He had managed to push away his stress and pride long enough and give in to the situation by getting some sleep. He hoped it would help clear his head a little, after all he had never been kidnapped before. And as a kidnapped victim, he assumed he'd be tied up somewhere until he was traded for money. But he had learned last night that there was no ransom. He was shrunk and brought here to be a toy's plaything. Andy wasn't looking forward to finding out what that meant. It registered as something sick and twisted in his tired mind. But it didn't matter now. He would know soon enough as Marvelo was making his way up the staircase, headed for Andy's cage. Down below him was Pinky, the wrestler, and instead of the soldier, the large gray bunny.

Below Andy's cage, the young boy had woken up at the toys' arrival and called out to Andy to warn him. But the teenager was far too deep into sleep to hear him. Marvelo rapped against Andy's cage with his wand loudly until Andy stirred.

He turned sleepy, yet annoyed eyes in the direction of the noise.

"Rise and shine dear boy," Marvelo greeted.

"What time is it?" Andy asked, irritated.

"What time is it?" he asked in mocked surprise. "Why it's playtime!" He signaled below and Pinky and the wrestler came up to join him. Andy sat up on his rags and watched as Marvelo proceeded to unlock his cage. He noticed the other toys down below were waking the kids and unlocking their cages as well. He turned back around as Marvelo motioned for him to exit, but Andy refused to move.

"Would you like my friends to _help_ you?" he threatened. Andy growled and came to his feet.

"What's this all about?" he demanded.

"You'll see soon enough, now get out."

Andy reluctantly let himself be escorted down the movable stairs.

"See you later then," the boy in the cage below told him.

"Yeah," Andy sighed.

He had no idea where they were taking him, but he was sure he wouldn't like it. He hated seeing the toys doing the same thing to the other kids. Going as far as to carry a child out if he or she didn't want to leave. That pretty much told him it wasn't going to be good. Andy and his guards walked out of the prison area and back down the hall. One of the doors that had been closed upon his first passing by it was now open. It was like a theatre room with little closets, racks and shelves with props and costumes of all sorts. He saw that the kids were being taken into the room. The toys that guarded them pulled them along as they proceeded to pick through the clothes, like a parent trying to find the right thing for a child to wear.

"Move along please," said Marvelo, as he gave Andy a slight push.

"Whoa whoa whoa, what's going on? We're playing dress up now?"

The wizard chuckled softly. "Why I'll be happy to explained. You see-"

"Professor!"

The wizard's delighted expression instantly transformed into anger at the sound of the adolescent's voice.

"Professor, Professor Dumbledore!" It was none other than Harry Potter; well the toy version of him anyways. If Andy hadn't been so caught up in what might be a serious situation, he would have found the meeting with the famed wizard boy amusing. He was apparently a collector's doll, already dressed in his school robes and modeled to be a year younger than Andy. In his hand was a large spell book.

"How many times," Marvelo grumbled.

"Professor, there isn't anything here on how to defeat Voldemort," he informed Marvelo as he scanned the book.

"How many times must I tell you I am not Dumbledore!"

"But sir, I know it's you. You must have forgotten, or been given the confundus charm."

Marvelo growled. "I have been given no charm, only an annoying wizard in yourself. Now get away from me and go play wizard with some other kids."

"But sir, I have to defeat Voldemort. You said so yourself!"

Marvelo turned and shut his book with a loud snap. "You want to defeat Voldemort? Why don't you get ahold of your sorceror's stones and leave me alone!"

Harry jumped and nodded. "Right. I'll see if I can find a library, or maybe Hermione knows something. But I haven't seen her in this dodgy place." Harry wandered away from them, either in search of Hermione or those stones.

"Right," sighed the wizard. "Where was I? Oh yes. I believe your dress for the day is awaiting you." He pointed to the G.I Joe, who was now carrying a plastic rifle and motioning for Andy to come. Andy stepped further into the room and found that the dress that was awaiting him was an armored suit, like the ones heroes wore in old mythical stories when defeating mythical creatures. It hung nicely in a closet space.

"I think it will suit you nicely," whispered Marvelo.

"Suit me nicely?" questioned Andy. "For what?"

Andy quickly found out as he jumped back, narrowly missing the blade of a sword. If he hadn't been wearing the armor, he was sure he might have been cut. The way it shined showed it wasn't exactly made of foam or plastic. Andy held his own sword at the ready, but he knew nothing about swords; his opponent, however, did.

It turned out Andy was sentenced to have a play fight with a knight for the day. His costume served to further enhance his imagination, but all it did was make Andy feel foolish whether it was protecting him or not. The same was happening for the other kids. After they had been costumed, they were taken to a large play area with miniature sets that made Andy feel like they were filming various kinds of movies. A certain toy or group of toys played with their chosen kids in one of the settings that consisted of different landscapes, houses, buildings and even ships and castles. Apparently Warrick had gone to great lengths to construct their fantasy environment out of real and fake materials. But like Andy, the kids weren't used to such realistic play. Playtime with toys was about a kid's ability to imagine, but these toys had made it real. Though it seemed appealing, the fact that they were taken from their homes, put in a scary environment, and forced to play how the toys wanted took all the fun out of it.

Andy blocked a swipe from the knight's sword with his own and backed away into a large boulder. He was fighting near a rocky mountain landscape, but not too far behind them was a large pink dollhouse. During the battle, Andy kept trying to seek out any means of escape, but it wasn't easy with toys all over the place and a mad knight slashing away at him. The fact that his horse nearby cheered him on in neighs, didn't help.

"You fight well my lad," the knight complimented from behind his helmet.

"Yeah well, I had no practise," Andy breathed.

"It's nice...to get a lad old enough for this sport," he said as he dodged a strike from Andy.

"Sport," said Andy incredously. "You call this a sport?"

"Most definately. Why I haven't been able to prove myself as a knight even in the company of my old owner."

Andy paused at this as he tried to work out a different way to stop this. "So, your old owner. Think he'd be happy...to see you doing...this?"

"Well," the knight started in between rounds. "You could...ask him. He's right, over there."

Andy stopped and looked over at a young blonde boy who was running about a haunted looking forest in order to get away from some kind of swamp thing monster toy. Andy was pulled out of watching when the knight brought down his sword again. Andy just barely had enough time to defend himself.

"I don't understand...how can you toys' do this to us?"

"It's not us in particular, it's Warrick and Marvelo. They're doing us a little favor. All we want is a little playtime."

"All you want is to enslave kids for you own joy...and you know what...I'm not going to let you do that, to me!"

With one great hit of his sword against the knight's, the toy was caught off guard and stumbled back. Andy used the opportunity to get away from him. He weaved in and out of the rocky formations.

"Alazar! Attack!" the knight cried. Andy stopped long enough to see who the knight had called for assistance.

He saw and heard it above a tower of rocks; a large red dragon with many spikes dotting along its neck and face. He roared and took to the air upon spotting Andy. He hurried on. Above him the dragon gave another cry. Then instead of a breath of fire, he spat a stream of steamy mist that narrowly missed him. It was hot enough to melt away some of the paint on the foam mountains. Andy ducked between rocks, but he was in too much open space to hide this way for long. He had to get out of here.

"That's it Alazar! Bring the coward out into the open!"

Alazar swerved in the air to face the boy against the rocks. Andy hurried out of the way in time before he was burned.

"This isn't fair!" Andy cried. "Two against one!"

"To correct you my lad," said the Knight. "It's now one against one. I am currently not fighting you!"

Andy growled as he hurried between another pair of rocks. He didn't recall any knight being in such a position in the movies. They always managed to slay the dragon. Then again, those were movies and this was real life. On the other side, he was brought closer to the dollhouse. Seeing no other way out of it, Andy dashed for it. He didn't bother to knock. He threw open the door and shut it behind him. Being that it was a dollhouse, there was no lock. Andy turned to see what he could use to improvise.

It was a dollhouse alright, but with his small size it was no different from a regular sized house; except maybe for all the bright pink walls and other accents for the Barbie color. Andy grabbed ahold of a chair and placed it against the door, should the knight have discovered he came here, then he backed away. He could hear the dragon's growls outside, frustrated that he'd lost him.

"That, was too close for comfort," he told himself.

"Finally! A boy, there's a boy in the house!"

Andy spun around. Standing at the foot of the staircase was Barbie's look alike. She was tall, with frizzy blonde hair pulled back into a ponytail, and her face graced with a delighted smile (much like the Linda Blair Barbie). She straightened her yellow sun dress then came forward with her hands clasped together in excitement.

"I can't remember the last time a boy was in my house," she said admirably.

"Listen, I don't want to intrude, but you see there's a dragon-"

"After all those wishes of having one that's the right size," she giggled excitedly. "My dreams have finally come true." She laughed happily again. Andy wasn't quite sure what to do. He wasn't even sure if staying in the same house with her was safe. But before he could make up his mind about anything, she hurried over to him and took her hand in his.

"Hi, I'm Skipper. You may have heard of me, I'm Barbie's little sister but she's not here, and I'm not so...little. We're alone, and I'm very mature for my age." She batted her pretty blue eyes at him as she leaned in, forcing Andy to back into the door, startled. Either he was experiencing a delusion or this doll was falling for him.

"Ah, listen. I don't think you heard me," he gasped. "I only came in here because,...there's this dragon."

"Of course there was a dragon," said Skipper. "My knight in shining armor has come to rescue me from it. Ooooh that's so romantic."

Andy ducked away from her and crossed into the livingroom. He didn't have time for this. He looked about and saw the kitchen in the next room. Andy hurried over to it.

"Hey! Where are you going, my knight?" she asked as she ran after him.

Andy scouted around the kitchen for a backdoor but there wasn't one. He needed to find another escape besides the front door, as he had a feeling the dragon or the knight was waiting for him there.

"There's got to be another way out. Listen, is there a back door in this house?" Andy asked Skipper as she came up to him.

"Why? You don't want to leave do you?" she asked with a look of worry. "I've been alone here so long. The only boys around here are kids, they're not like you. You're perfect, you're so handsome and..."

She reached up to cup his face, but Andy grabbed her hands to prevent her. "Listen, I think I'm way too...real, for you."

"And my feelings for you aren't?"

"You don't even know me."

"You're my knight," she stated.

"I'm no knight. I've been kidnapped like all the other kids here, now are you gonna help me get out of here or not?" He asked as he headed back into the livingroom.

"There's got to be a way," he muttered to himself. Skipper stepped out of the kitchen and stood by his side.

"Don't you believe in love at first sight?"

Suddenly the house jolted, like something had banged into it. Skipper lost her footing and without thinking Andy prevented her fall. His eyes fell to the ceiling. From the sudden roar, he learned the dragon had realized he was in the dollhouse and was possibly trying to break in from above. Skipper gasped and her wide eyes met Andy's.

"You, saved me."

"What?"

"And you don't consider yourself my knight in shining armor?" Skipper advanced causing Andy to back up. He tripped and landed in a comfy chair. Skipper threw herself upon him and hugged him tight. Andy struggled to move her away.

"Will you get off of me!" he cried. "I'm not a real toy."

"No," she agreed. "You're a real man." Then without hesitation she leaned in and planted her lips on his. A passionate kiss, that ended too soon for Skipper's liking. Suddenly the livingroom window exploded. The kiss was broken when Andy saw him in time. The dragon opened his mouth to spray them.

"Get down!" He cried as he grabbed Skipper and they rolled to the floor. The dragon's hot misty breath passed over them. Alazar roared in anger and shook the window as if he planned to try and squeeze through. The plastic walls were already showing signs of cracking. Skipper sat up, oblivious to the danger; her mind on the kiss and one other fact.

"Wow! You saved me again, you really are my..Hey! Where are you going? We aren't finished yet!"

Andy had jumped to his feet and was heading for the stairs. He saw that Alazar had stopped trying to come through the window in order to see what Andy was doing. He was determined to get the boy. Andy would lead him away from Skipper, even though he had no feelings for her whatsoever. It wasn't in his nature to see anyone hurt who was caught up in his troubles, plastic or not. Alazar backed ouf of the window while Andy hurried on up the stairs. Andy precieved the house was much larger than he thought. But at the moment he needed to figure out what to do. He had no plan. He supposed he could get to the roof and then try whatever came next.

He ran into the room that had double doors leading to the balcony. Andy stepped out on it and looked around. He wondered if he could alert help from this height. Then again, he wondered if anyone would be willing to help him, especially since the only help he could get were from toys. But surely they would see the dragon's attempt to kill him was going too far.

He heard the dragon's cry. Andy stepped out onto the roof and walked carefully along its pink shingles.

"There he goes!" the knight cried from below. "Alazar, this way!"

Alazar followed the command and circled around the house. Andy was right above him on the roof. He figured it was time to bring this lizard down. Without thinking he jumped and landed right on Alazar's back. He roared in surprise. Andy grabbed ahold of the largest horns on his head and made to steer him to the ground.

"Don't let him get the best of you!" the knight cried.

Alazar seemed to take it to heart, because he was refusing to be controlled. Andy held on tight as he flew straight up, then did several rolls in the air. He was a bucking bronco with wings. Andy cried out in surprise. It was like a bad ride on the outside of a plane. He soared over the other toys and kids at play who couldn't help but stop and watch in amazement. Andy would have given anything to be on the ground again; actually he would have given anything to take back the idea of jumping on a dragon like some kind of action star. Alazar flew straight up again then made a huge circle upside down. He nearly lost his grip on the horns as he felt his body slipping down. Andy gritted his teeth and climbed higher. He pushed down against the horns, causing Alazar to point down. He flapped wildly in an attempt to fight back against the pressure, but Andy's amount of force was too great. Alazar shook his head blindly. With his loss of direction, the dragon was much closer to the ground. Andy looked up to see how close and saw they were headed for a cabin structure made of blocks and lincoln logs. Before Andy could veer the dragon away, they crashed head first into it. Kids and toys scurried out of the way as logs and blocks went flying. There was a large pile of rubble hiding the dragon and the boy.

The toys, kids, and the knight gathered closer just as the logs started to part. Andy surfaced from below, pushing the blocks out of the way. He moaned with the rough landing, but was able to get to his feet. There was a rumbling sound behind him and they turned to see Alazar popping his head out from the pile. He gave one final roar before his head fell onto of the blocks in exhaustion. Andy sighed. It was over, or so he thought.

The next thing he knew, the sword was knocked out of his hand and he was knocked to the ground. Andy found himself staring up at the point of a blade. The knight stood over him with his sword pointed directly at Andy's throat. This was it...he was going to die.

But then the knight put away his sword and held out a hand. Andy hesitated before reaching up and allowing the knight to pull him to his feet.

"Amazing fighting skills if I do say so myself," the knight complimented. "And the way you brought down Alazar was unlike anything I've ever seen."  
"Uh, thanks," said Andy akwardly. "It was unlike anything I'd ever, done."

The knight nodded and turned to the pile covered dragon. "Come Alazar, let us get you out of this rubble."

Andy turned his attention away from him and took notice of a group of new toys who were ushering the kids away. Inbetween the moving crowd, Andy saw the wizard, Pinky and G.I. Joe coming toward him. He considered taking the sword and stabbing it right through his plastic body, but thought it might not be wise since he was surrounded by his friends.

"Well my boy," the wizard started. "I hope you had fun on your first day, there'll be lots more of it."  
Andy gripped his sword angrily. "Fun, you call what I've been through fun? I almost got killed!"

"But you didn't," Pinky commented as he laughed.

"It's no different than what you humans do to us," said the soldier. "Pretending."

"Oh really," said Andy increduously. "What about the way you guys play? I thought you toys were supposed to be kid friendly."

Marvelos stepped forward smiling. "We are. As the pink ape said, you didn't get killed. No one does, it's all part of the play. When you used to make one of your toys play the bad guy, they aren't really a bad guy are they?"  
"I don't know," Andy answered through gritted teeth. "I'm looking at a bad guy right now."

Marvelo frowned but waved the insult off. "Come now, enough chatter. There will be time for more later. Right now, lunch."

They escorted him out of the play area and down a hall to a room across from it. Here, there were several miniature lunch tables set up for the kids who were already sitting down to eat. A few toys passed out trays of lunch. Andy couldn't help frowning at what they were given to eat; pieces of cookies, muffins, candy and any other form of sugary sweetness that would make a mom complain.

"You call this lunch?" asked Andy. "It looks more like snack time."

"Only for a little while," said Marvelo. "Later we'll reveal what they should be eating, fruits and vegetables. Although I don't have much taste for it's affects of making a child grow. Now take a seat."

Andy walked off on his own between the tables. As he moved heads turned, which made Andy truly feel like the new kid in school. He was the oldest one here and stood out like a lemon in a barrel of apples. However a few toys ordered that they stop gawking and eat. Yes, the lunch menu did seem a bit too sweet, but Andy was starting to understand why it was so. It was meant as a sugar rush to keep the kids energized for playtime. Apparently there was more to come than just one hour with a toy. Andy stopped next to a table that was occupied by the familiar blonde.

"Ah, is anyone sitting here?"

She shook her head without looking up.

"Thanks." He plopped down in the seat. He was suddenly wishing he were in his cage again. He didn't care if they fed him or not.

"You don't have to look so worried."

Andy turned to the girl who still managed to put on a brave face. She was dressed in a pink tou tou with wings. He assumed she'd been made to play with ballerinas or fairies.

"I mean you are old for your age, which means you shouldn't be scared at all."

"Oh, I'm learning pretty fast that you can be scared, even if you're as old of a man as me." She giggled at the teen and he smiled. "I'm surprised you aren't scared."

"Oh I am, most of the time. I just don't want the other kids to worry more." She stopped and rubbed at her eyes. He could tell whatever she'd been through she wanted to cry about it, but refused to make a fuss.

"You look familar."

"I'm Emily Mills. What's your name?"

Andy was momentarily stunned with this knowledge. Emily Mills. She was the last kidnapped victim he had seen on tv before getting kidnapped himself. Her worried parents had been all over the news.

"Ah, it's Andy, Andy Davis. I thought I knew you."  
"I bet you do."

"Your parents have been all over the news talking about you. They're really worried and they miss you so much."

"I bet they,...do," she said as her voice started to crack. "I miss them too, but I'll, I'll never see them again. My place is here now."

A tray of pieces of donuts and cookies was placed before Andy by a thin monster toy with many arms and a chef's hat. Andy waited until he stepped away before leaning in to Emily.

"You're place isn't here Emily, it's at home, and the same goes for every boy and girl here." Emily stared at him with hopeful blue eyes. "Don't worry Emily, you'll see them again, I promise." He smiled softly at her which helped to ease her fears. He didn't know how he could promise such a thing. It seemed impossible now, the way they were trapped. But surely this couldn't go on forever? They would all grow up and what would happen to them then? He didn't know and wasn't sure there was a good answer for it. He just didn't want it to be that long for any of them. He picked up a piece of donut and nibbled on it as he looked all around the room. No. His place wasn't here either. His place was at home, but the problem was he didn't know how to get back to it.

**Disclaimer: I don't own Skipper or Harry Potter. I did have a Skipper doll when I was a kid, maybe before I had my other Barbies. I had fun writting her as being lovesick for Andy. Especially the kiss. Just shows what being trapped in this place and listening to Marvelo can do to a toy. Anyways, I also have a Harry Potter doll, and being a fan, I decided to make him kind of annoying here (if only to piss off Marvelo) and add a little humor to the scene. **

**So now you see how kids are being played with; in a realistic/fantastical environment with dress clothes to match. It could nearly be a dream, but some of the toys could carry the play a little too far or make it too scary, not to mention their poor treatment. Andy survived his first day, but for how much longer? Will he get lucky somehow? Hmmm.**

**Guess you'll have to keep reading to see!**


	22. Chapter 22

**disclaimer: I don't own TS**

**Keep hanging in there guys! I know we're in a bad situation. I'm glad you guys enjoyed the Harry Potter doll. You'll be seeing more of him. **

An Old Friend

It was a nightmare come true with no end in sight. Their positive attitudes were quickly fading. Buzz, Woody, Mr. Potato Head, Hamm, Rex and Slinky were having no luck in finding their owner. On the night that Andy had gone missing, the toys forced themselves to stay up all night and search the alley. Of course they couldn't go all the way down it. They had to stop and search the backyards in the section they were in. It took longer since they promised not to separate far from each other. A yard, to toys, was a huge area to cover and it took all of them to scout out every nook and cranny of it. Three backyards of searching and it was nearly morning again.

They were exhausted. No one more than Woody. He pushed himself when the others couldn't. They searched two more houses then gave out, and upon Buzz's agreement, took an hour to rest.

But Woody could not rest. He had refused Buzz's advice to get a little shut eye.

"Are you crazy!" Woody had shouted at him. "We can't rest at a time like this! Andy is still out there somewhere and I intend to find him."

Buzz didn't have the energy to talk him out of it, but it turned out he didn't have too. As Woody made to check behind the garbage dumpsters further up the alley, his legs gave out and he collapsed.

Buzz used the last of his energy to walk over to him and sit by his side. Woody was curled up on the ground. Buzz didn't know if it was because he collasped in tiredness or because he was starting to fall into a depression again. Buzz started to lay a hand on his shoulder, but Woody raised his head.

"Buzz," he said quietly and sadly. "What if,...what if you're wrong. What if he really isn't out here?"

Buzz didn't know what to say to that. In all honesty, he had been thinking about that possibility, but for the most part he kept it at the very back of his mind. He was never going to bring it up. They had to find Andy. But it was starting to look like it wasn't going to happen.

"We can't, give up that easily sheriff," Buzz reasoned. "He's got to be somewhere."

"Yeah, like in the belly of a stupid cat," Woody answered bitterly.

"Don't say that. Andy is not...I mean, we just have to keep looking!"

Woody looked like he wanted to argue, but it truly wasn't in the cowboy to quit something that was so important to him.

"I know. We have to," said Woody. "I'm just so scared for him. All alone out here in his small size."

"I'm sure Andy will be, alright," said Buzz, though he was just as concerned. "I've always thought he could take care of himself. I'm not sure you ever did."  
Woody gave a small smile. "That's because Andy was always a kid in my eyes, no matter how much older he got. And I always wanted to be the one to take care of him."

Buzz nodded and got to his feet. "Well, that's all well and good Woody, but there has to come a time when he'll have to take care of himself. And that time is already here."

Woody looked up at Buzz, his eyes appearing to be more shiny than usual. He felt like it was the first time he actually understood what it meant for Andy to get older; to change and grow from boy to man. There would be a time when he wouldn't need his cowboy doll (maybe even counting after this adventure).

"That time maybe here," Woody admitted. "But right now, he does need us."

"That's right Woody. Come on, let's keep looking." He held out a hand and helped Woody to his feet. Break time was over. They were going to settle this. They were going to find their owner, get him back to the way he was and bring him home.

After such an exciting near death experience with the knight and dragon, Andy was forced to join a tea party with young dolls and pink teddy bears. Then came a superhero adventure with Andy playing the sidekick of some made up superhero toy he had never heard of. He reminded him of batman with his dark costume, but he was anything but as he was very clumsy. He had Andy help him rescue a hostage which turned out to be Emily. Andy hoped to have saved her from the tall tower she was trapped in and weasle her out of the warhouse, but he was prevented from doing so. Afterwards came a wrestling match with T-Bone, with his wizard friend Marvelo watching from below the ring. By then Andy had no more energy to have any more playtime, and that allowed T-Bone to pummel him to the floor several times. Luckily he wasn't seriously injured.

Much to his relief, playtime ended soon enough and Andy was escorted back to his wire prison, as were many of the other children. The wizard lead the way as usual, but this time with something of a skip in his step. Clearly he was pleased about Andy's predicament.

"Well well well my boy, how was your first day of playtime? Thrilling I hope."

"Thrilling, if you count me nearly being killed," Andy spat.

"You're still on about that?" said Marvelo bitterly. "You've had an adventure like no other."

"I don't want an adventure like no other. I want to go home."

"Home, home is where you are," the wizard announced, just as they reached his cage. The boy in the cage below him scooted back as the toys got closer and positioned the stairs. The wizard ordered the toys to bring Andy up. He unlocked his door and the wrestler and gorilla shoved him inside. This time Andy didn't bother to get to his feet and try to make it to the door before it was locked. He just stayed on the floor of the cage as a feeling of hopelessness washed over him.

Marvelo was about to turn away, but he couldn't resist Andy's pitied look. He crouched down near the door and whispered through the bars.

"Face it boy, you're here with us. You're not going back to the life you once had."

Andy turned to him, but didn't respond. Marvelo continued.

"You're wanted here, you're not even wanted by your own toys!"

At this, Andy felt a great wave of anger. "That's not true! My toys risked their lives to help me!"

"Then why aren't they here? If they were really concerned, they'd be here for you, but they are not. They shouldn't be. You abandoned them. Cast them aside and not bothered to look at them anymore."

"That's not..." Andy started, but he couldn't defend himself here. The wizard was right. Andy hadn't looked at his old friends since he came into his teenage years. "I was...I was growing up, I couldn't, I didn't..."

"You were finished with them, just like all boys and girls are when they reach your age. Toys never wish to see that happen, but here it doesn't have to. Like owners, toys have feelings too, but you care not for them."

"I didn't know," Andy announced. "How could we know. You're punishing us when we knew nothing about toys being alive?"

"We're not punishing, we're giving you a chance to make things right again. But now that you do know, you might want to start thinking about how your own toys really feel about your abandoning them. You've got all the time in the world now," he paused and laughed. "At least until tomorrow, when the fun begins again." He laughed and headed down the stairs, leaving Andy with a mix of awful emotions. He didn't have the energy to call after him; to demand to be taken out of this prison. He couldn't even argue that he was wrong, because he was starting to wonder if he really was, wrong. He was starting to wonder if this was really happening to him, or if he was cracking up. He had never felt so depressed and delusional in his whole life.

He pulled himself over to the door, grabbed onto the bars and gazed at the toys walking about below him. They were created to make kids happy. Plastic and stuffed creatures meant to fill out the imagined ideas of some special little boy or girl. But that wasn't happening here. These toys weren't making the kids happy. And they weren't fufilling an imagined idea, they had literally created one. If all toys had feelings, surely they would have felt ashamed for how they were treating these children? Kidnapped children who were surely spitting images of their own owners.

"Your wrong," Andy whispered to them all, as if they could hear him. "They don't feel that way about me. My toys...care."

Andy fell silent and let his head drop. He could pinch himself a thousand times, but he knew he'd never wake up from this nightmare.

"Are you sure about that?"

Andy looked down to see the boy looking up at him from his corner.

"What?"

"Are you sure about how your toys feel about you...you know, after you abandoned them. Did they turn you in?"

Andy was quiet for a minute before he answered. "No, they didn't turn me in. I traveled with them. They were going to help me find a way to get back to normal. If they didn't care, they wouldn't have even bothered to speak to me. They're not like these toys. Not like them at all."

"Well where are they?"

Andy sat back down and pulled his knees up to his chin. "I don't know. We got separated. They're probably worried sick about me. It's how they were when I was with them. But, I can't imagine how they'll find me. They probably won't. I'll be stuck here, entertaining these stupid things for the rest of my life. I can't believe this whole thing is about a few hours of playtime."

"Was it that bad for you today?" asked the boy.

"If you count my first kiss coming from a plastic doll, then yes," he said more to himself than to the boy. One could take that statement either way.

The boy took in his words, then started questioning him again. "What's your name?"

"Andy. Andy Davis," he looked down at the boy. In the few hours he'd spent in the cage, he had been too upset to bother getting to know his neighbor downstairs. But now he was curious. "What's yours?"

"I'm Cole Stevens," he told him.

Andy quirked an eyebrow as the name registered. He leaned closer to the cage floor and peered into his face. The shape of his face, hair color and eyes reminded him of someone. "Did you say, Cole...Stevens?"

He nodded.

"Cole, you wouldn't happen to have a sister named, Alissa would you?"

At this, Cole perked up and stood. "Yes. You know Alissa?"

"Uh, I met an Alissa in the city. She and her mom stayed in a big apartment. But I'm pretty sure that's the Alissa you're talking about."

"Yeah, yeah that's got to be her!" he cried desperately. Being kidnapped for so long, without news of his family made him eager to know what was going on with them. And seeing how much he desired to know about his sister made Andy feel sorry for him. "But how did you meet her?"

Andy smiled softly and gave him the thrilling tale of how he'd come to the city and met his sister. Cole was listening with rapt attention, watching Andy with wide eyes as he described his mini adventure. When he started telling him about his sister, Cole was saddened to hear how hard she had taken his kidnapping. Turning into a brat who took out her anger of her brother's loss on her playthings. He also expressed fear that the toys would use her harsh treatment to punish her, like they were being punished.

"But they wouldn't, shrink her like they did me...right?" he asked fearfully.

"No," Andy assured him quickly. "No, her toys wanted to help her, so my toys and I made that happen. They exposed themselves to her and convinced her to talk to your mom, about you. She's been keeping those feelings bottled up inside her for so long. She really misses you Cole. They both do."

Cole stared back at him intently then turned away.

"And so do your toys."

Cole shot a dark look at Andy. "How do you know?" he demanded.

"Alissa's toys talked to them, to try and understand what happened to you. How you got taken. They told us how much they missed you. They're not like these toys Cole."

Cole looked away, frowning. "I wasn't home when it happened. I was at the park around the corner with my aunt. I saw that wizard toy under the bushes and thought someone abandoned him and the next thing I know he sprays me with this dust. I was having a sleep over at a friend's house after that, but it didn't go over so well because I was too tired to enjoy it. I fell asleep and the next thing I knew I was sitting in a box heading here."

Andy let the information sink in as he looked around at the other caged children. Many of them were curled up, probably wondering what was happening to their families as well.

"I guess you all have the same story here, huh?"

The boy nodded. "And we're never getting out of here."

Andy wanted to argue, but he couldn't sum up the confidence to do so. He himself was already starting to believe that his toys were going to abandon him. That deep down they did feel some resentment towards their teenage owner for forgetting about them. Since he had no knowledge of their being alive, he wasn't sure how much of their feelings were like a human's. Whether their feelings changed when kids got older. If they abandoned their feelings toward them when their owners locked them in a toy box or threw them away. He didn't imagine how deep the wizard's words could affect him. He tried to ignore it, but the thoughts played at the back of his mind. Toys wanted to be loved; they didn't want to be forgotten.

Andy looked up at the high ceiling. If he could just get a spark of hope that his situation could get better, he was sure he'd be able to be more positive and keep an open mind. And better than that, he could restore his faith in his own toys.

"There must be some way," Andy whispered quietly.

"There's no way," said Cole miserably. "We don't even know where we are." He looked up at Andy and noticed how thoughtful he appeared. It worried Cole that he was actually thinking of doing something to make an escape possible.

"You might as well give up. There's too many of them, and we're...small. As long as you follow what they say, you won't..get into trouble."

"Trouble?"

"Yeah, like that wizard. He can get really mad sometimes. And if you do anything to really upset him, he and the other toys will,...they'll..._still _you."

Andy didn't know why, but the way he said that last part sent a shiver down his spine.

"Steal us? They already stole us, from our homes," said Andy confused.

"No, not steal, I mean..._still_," Cole gasped. He paused as if just talking about the punishment was too much for him to bare. He wrapped his arms around himself and started to shake with fear. Andy started to ask him what he meant, but he could see the subject of this punishment was greatly upsetting him. He was forced to make his own guesswork of what _still_ meant.

It was bad enough the wizard locked kids away in these cages and forced them to tire out in games, but he didn't imagine he could do any worse. As far as Andy could assume, _still_ equaled _death_. Andy shivered with the thought. He couldn't imagine the toys going that far. But if he was on the right track about that, they had to get out of here and they had to do it soon.

As his eyes drifted down to the floor, he caught sight of that strangely familar gray bear milling about all alone among the passing groups of toys. He had just passed a monsterous crab-like toy with six legs and five eyes. He was wearing some kind of vest and looking in the cages he passed with much approval.

"A bonafide Monstrapolis if I do say so myself," he said with pleasure.

Andy crawled over to the door and watched the bear's every move. _'Why does that bear look so familiar?' _he wondered. And just as how he first saw him, he still seemed very meloncholy. He dragged himself pass the caged kids, seemingly unable to look at any of them. He may have been the only toy to feel shame for this madness. Andy was sure he had to, and if so, he could be his ticket out of here. But he still wanted to know where he knew him from.

Andy looked away and thought hard about all the toys he ever possessed. He felt like he had seen him in his house, but he knew for certain he never owned that bear.

"Where have I seen," he paused, then gasped as he suddenly realized where he'd seen that bear. He looked and saw the bear slowly heading out of the area. He wanted to call out to him, but he was too far away and he didn't want to draw attention to himself. He pressed his face close against the bars and watched him leave.

Evening came much to Andy's liking. After a rest break in the cage, Marvelo decided Andy could go a few more rounds with the knight. Afterwards, he was taking to the mini cafe for dinner. It was a decent meal this time with pieces of vegetables and a timble of milk. After that, Andy was escorted to his cage again. All the while he'd been out, he tried to keep a look out for that bear, but he was no where in sight. The wizard promptly locked him away, grinning as he left Andy to his misery.

Time passed so that Andy was unaware of the time of night. He was sitting in a corner near the front of the cage and feeling the effects of nodding off into a restless sleep. Everyone else was already laying down to sleep. Andy still hoped to catch sight of the bear, but the only toys about were the G.I Joe doll along with a few smaller soldiers, a black and white doggie plush, and the pirate bunny. They patroled the area, making sure everything stayed just as it was suppose to. Andy tired of watching them and allowed himself to nod off.

He woke an hour later to find the patrolling playthings gone. He sat up and moved closer to the door to find them. He spotted them near the entrance of the area, talking to the gray bear. The bunny patted his back and left the area, along with the small soldier toys. The G.I Joe and the dog resumed their patrolling. Apparently there was a shift change. For once in the time since he'd been here, he was pleased for the toy guards. The gray bear hesitated at the entrance before giving a sigh and stepping forward. Andy could not look away. He was sure he was right on how he knew him and he silently willed him to come in his direction. After several long minutes he finally came near. Luckily the guarding toys were spaced out on their patrol. If he called out to him, he wouldn't attract the other toys' attention.

"Pppsstt. Hey bear!" he whispered loudly. The gray bear was limping along just past his cage and was able to slip away. "Hey bear!" he called a little louder.

The bear paused and looked around. Andy waved and he slowly looked up. He pointed to himself to confirm that Andy was talking to him. Andy nodded, then the bear looked about him and walked away.

"Hey no wait!" he cried a bit louder. He sighed, thinking his possible last hope was gone. But then he saw the bear coming back, pushing along the rolling stairs to reach his cage. He was slow climbing up them, but Andy forced himself to remain patient. At least he was willing to come up and see what he wanted.

When the bear came up to the door, Andy thought he looked more miserable up close.

"You, have a request?" he asked in a kind, yet tired grandfatherly tone that made Andy's heart ache. For a moment, all he could do was stare at the bear as if trying to make sure he was correct in his assumption.

"You..I know you don't I?"

The bear's brows furrowed in confusion. Andy wracked his brain to get the name out.

"W-wuzzles, Mr. Wuzzles. That's it, that's your name, right?"

The bear perked up, astonished that some random kid knew him. He was sure none of the other toys told his name to the kids. They didn't care enough to give it. "How did, how did you know my name?"

"So, I was right. You're Mr. Wuzzles," said Andy grinning. "What are you doing here? Working with that wizard, and Warrick?"

The bear was still stuck on how Andy knew his name. "Wha, wait a moment. How do you know-"

"You mean, you don't remember me?" asked Andy, disappointed. Then he looked down at himself. "Or maybe it's because I've grown so much. I was probably only six years old when you last saw me. Remember? Andy."

Mr. Wuzzles's brow furrowed deeper into confusion. Andy had never thought about the effects of longevity on a toy. That if their bodies didn't age, then maybe their minds did. Mr. Wuzzles was clearly showing the signs. He scrunched his face up as he stared at Andy, trying to remember when he'd last seen him. But he didn't seem capable of comprehending it.

"Andy?" he asked, confused.

"Yes, Andy. Remember? Remember Anthony Davis? You were his toy when he was a little boy." Mr. Wuzzles stared at him blankly. "Please. You have to remember. A little boy."

Mr. Wuzzles looked away. Andy could practically see the wheels turning in his head as he tried to remember. "A boy," he murmured. "A little, dark haired boy named,...Anthony."

"Yes."

"Anthony." Mr. Wuzzles looked up. His beady black eyes seemed to have moistened. "You, are not Anthony. I remember Anthony.."

"Oh no no, I'm not Anthony. I'm his son. Remember? He showed you to me once. Remember? Andy, Andy."

Mr. Wuzzles stared at him hard. He narrowed his eyes and tried to recall the events. He could faintly remember being lifted up to the eye level of a small boy who had a resemblance to his owner when he was a child. The memories were flooding back. He remembered so clearly now, being one of Anthony's favorite toys. He remembered his mom used to secretly plant candy in his pouch and he recalled the smile on Anthony's face when he found it, thinking the candy magically appeared in there. It made Mr. Wuzzles' stuffing warm with happiness.

Then there was Andy. Anthony was a man at the time. He remembered hearing him say the name...Andy.

"Andy?" he said, as he recognized him at last.

"Yes," said Andy happily. "Yes, you remember. I'm your owner's son."

The bear started to shake his head as he looked him up and down. "But, you can't be, you're not..you're not that little boy anymore."

"Yeah, I've grown up some. But that was the first and last time dad showed you to me. After that, well, he took you with him or so I thought."

Mr. Wuzzles looked down as if he were ashamed. "He threw me out is what, he did. I'm a very...very old toy. I was his father's father's toy. I've seen em all grow up and thought, maybe I'd still be kept in the family. When he introduced me to you. But when it got down to Anthony, he no longer needed me to, be apart of the, family."

Andy too looked away as he thought back to the last time he saw Mr. Wuzzles, and his father.

"That, that was a rough day," Andy admitted. "He was, so stressed and he and mom decided things weren't working out, so he left. He took you with him. But, how did you end up here?"

"It's, like I said. He got rid of me one day. Had a family that he needed more than, he needed me."

Andy swallowed hard at the bitter reminder of his dad getting a new wife and kids. For the longest time he couldn't understand it. He didn't understand what went wrong. At first he wondered if it had something to do with him, or his new baby sister. But his mother later told him it wasn't anyone's fault. Their separation was for the best. It was odd to think about it now in this situation. Like toys that had been abandoned, he had felt abandoned when his father left.

"I found myself in the garbage," Mr. Wuzzles continued. "It was the end for me, I was sure of it. Found myself at the dump, thinking of all the good times with, Anthony. They would be my last thoughts. But then, I found myself spared by the trashman who took me home for his kid. But, his kid didn't want me and threw me aside. That was how I met Marvelo's...owner. He picked me up and gave me a home. The other toys, they understood what it was like when a human turned it's back on their old friends. So here I remained."

Andy let it sink it. He was finding it so cruel, what his dad did, as well as the trashman's kid. Throwing Mr. Wuzzles out as if he meant nothing. Four days ago, he wouldn't have gave it a second thought to get rid of a few toys. But now his feelings had changed. He understood how it felt for them to be unwanted, unloved, and he felt ashamed. He himself had gotten rid of a couple of toys. Had they gone through the same thing?

"How, how is old Anthony?" asked Mr. Wuzzles with much interest.

"I wouldn't know," Andy told him. "I don't live with him. He lives with different kids. I've only visted him like once, but after that, I don't know. Look, why are you doing this? Is it out of revenge? You can't possible want to hurt kids for what my father did to you. He grew up. He needed to...he wanted to move on."

"I don't want to hurt any children," said Mr. Wuzzles sadly. "It didn't seem like a bad idea at the time, when Marvelo first talked about it. But now, it's a nightmare. A never ending nightmare."

"But, it doesn't have to be that way," Andy started. "We can change this."

"How?"

"Hey you up there! What seems to be the trouble?"

They looked down to see the G.I. Joe near the stairs, watching them. Mr. Wuzzles was supposed to be patrolling, not talking.

"Oh I um, I," Mr. Wuzzles stuttered, while Andy prayed he wouldn't give him away. "I was seeing what the child wanted. I was telling him, he...he couldn't have it."

"He couldn't have what?"

"Uh,...freedom."

The G.I Joe eyed him suspiciously. "Get back to your patrolling at once."

"Y-yes sir," he quietly agreed. The G.I. Joe walked away. "I have to go now. It was nice seeing you again."

"No wait. Surely you don't want to see Anthony's son waste away in this place. Didn't you, love my dad?"

"Of course I did,"he said as if he were offended. "I loved him, with every fiber of my being."  
"Then please, help me get out of here."

"I can't, I can't do that," Mr. Wuzzles protested.

"But you've got to. Please. We don't belong here. We belong with our families, our parents who miss us and our toys...they miss us too. This isn't right and you know it, you feel it. You don't want to do this anymore. It can end now if you help me."

"But...I can't. The wizard, he won't let you...and he's, got the key." He was shaken, but Andy did see he was considering his words.

"Then take it from him. You're my only hope. Remember Anthony. He wouldn't want you to do this to his own son. You said you loved him, and you'd do anything for him, wouldn't you?"

Mr. Wuzzles looked away again, rubbing his furry paws together nervously. Andy watched him anxiously, his hands gripping the bars so tightly his knuckles were turning white.

"I...I would do, anything for him," he decided.

"Then you'll help me right?"

Mr. Wuzzles gave him a cautious look, then appeared to give him a slight nod. Andy released a great sigh. It was a comfort to know that there was a toy within this place that could be trusthworthy. A familiar face. An old friend. Andy hadn't been that aquainted with him as a child. He'd only had a moment to really hold the bear. After that he was taken back. But then he was left in this place, alone in a dark situation he didn't know how to get out of. Maybe if they worked together, they could both get out. And if they did, Andy promised to give him a home with him and his other toys. He would not abandon him.

**okay, it seems a plan is in motion, sort of. And Andy found Alissa's little brother Cole. Yay!**

**Woody and the gang still don't know what happened to Andy, so Andy's trying to take matters into his own hands, somehow. According to past reviews and hints, several of you have been dying to know what became of Andy's dad. Well now you know. For this story, there's a separation, but I tend to lean toward fanfic writers and fans who suggest Andy's dad died. I guess I find that a little more believable; afterall this is Disney and rarely does Disney tackle issues of divorce. But for this story I made it so, not only to have Andy's dad alive, but to connect Andy with the feeling of abandonment (how toys feel when their owners leave). While Andy's trapped in this place, he's forced to contemplate how the toy's feel and how similar it is to human emotions/situations. Not only is he treated like a toy, but he starts to get the full effect of what they go through. That in turn gets him to start thinking about his own transition to adulthood.**

**The kindly Mr. Wuzzles is a strong reminder of loss for Andy. Well, as we progress, perhaps the result of his past will parallel with the other toys. But will Mr. Wuzzles be able to help him? Review and find out!**

**(P.S. note that I added the character of a Mr. Waternoose toy. Disclaimer: I don't own Monster's Inc. One of you guys reminded me that the caged kids was similar to his plan of kidnapping. Also, I remembered Pixar liked to crossover characters from other movies, so why not do it here.) **


	23. Chapter 23

**disclaimer: I don't own Toy Story**

**Well guys, this is an important chapter for a couple of reasons. And a question that's probably been somewhere in your mind since this whole adventure started is about to be answered!**

A Call For Help

He walked down the dark hallway, moving much slower than he normally did and looking somewhat different. He was slightly miserable, but had an edge of great nervousness. When he reached the end of the hall, he peaked around to see if anyone was coming before stepping out from the corner. A toy exited from the accessories room and was headed toward him. It was late at night, and most of the toys in the warehouse were resting but a few were about on patrol. This toy was somekind of lizard man in a black suit. He raised his uni-brow at the sight of Mr. Wuzzles's odd appearance and strange wanderings.

"Well well well," he said in a sly snake-like voice that seemed to label him as a villain toy. "What do we have here? A Mr. Wuzzles stttttrrrrooollling about?"

Mr. Wuzzles froze and quickly worked his mind to come up with an answer. "Ah...couldn't, sleep," he answered in a lazy voice.

"Hmm, it's a no wonder, you look like you've stuffed yourself with food," said the lizard as he poked Mr. Wuzzles' belly which had sudden become very full, like a plump bear should look.

Mr. Wuzzles patted it lightly and looked down at it with concern. "Naw, not food. Mr.,...ah Warrick was kind enough to stuff me. Guess I was, a bit excited to get it that I couldn't sleep."

"Yeah. You look it," said the lizard unbelievingly. He studied the bear's usual demeanor. "Well, I find it hard to believe that Warrick would bother to do anything for us lately. So wrapped up with his own toys at home, he barely bothers with us."

"But that's, not true is it?" asked Mr. Wuzzles. "He, still cares."

The lizard threw his head back and laughed. "He cares yes, for our happiness. He helps provide all these children, but how long will that last? Between you and me, Marvelo says he's slipping. Starting to regret, feel guilt about what he's doing. Marvelo thinks he might take our playtime away from us. But I don't think we have to worry."

"Er...why not?"

"Because, in case you haven't noticed, that wizard's got Warrick wrapped around his little plastic finger."

Mr. Wuzzles frowned in confusion and looked away as if trying to make sense of it, but he couldn't. A human couldn't be controled by a toy could he? Well, a full size one couldn't. But Marvelo did have that special power, which Mr. Wuzzles knew was handed over to him by Warrick. But it wasn't as if Marvelo could risk turning on his own owner; they'd be out of a business. No human to rescue abandoned toys and steal children for their amusement.

"You just be lucky he's given you what you've got," said the lizard as he rubbed Mr. Wuzzles belly. The bear jumped back with surprise and the lizard laughed as he walked away. Once he was out of sight, Mr. Wuzzles ducked into the accessories room. There was a small light that stayed on in here and showed him that it was empty. After a few nervous looks around, he looked down and unzipped his pouch. A head popped out and released a tired breath.

"Are, you alright in there?" asked Mr. Wuzzles.

"Yeah," Andy answered. "Just dandy."

"We're going to get, caught, I just know it."

"No we won't, we're almost there aren't we? We'll just keep doing what we're doing. And don't worry about me, it's not that bad in here."

He was being a bit sarcastic about it, but in truth it wasn't. He was just grateful to find a toy that would help him. But Mr. Wuzzle's pointed out it wasn't so easy to do. He had attempted to swipe his key from Marvelo by following behind him and striking up a conversation, but it was not a usual thing for him to do. Marvelo knew so and told him to leave. None of the toys here liked to bother with Wuzzles; they knew how he was feeling about the kidnapped children. He never even engaged a child in play, except once when Marvelo forced him to. Mr. Wuzzles had been paired up with a very frightened red headed girl during a time when the kidnappings were just starting to take place. He hadn't known what to do, and he felt so sorry for the girl that all he did was tell her stories. Marvelo had told him it was suppose to be the other way around. After that, Mr. Wuzzles expressed his discomfort about playing with kids this way and was put on patrol duty. He was forbidden to engage with the kids; forbidden to tell bear stories or encourage wrong ideas, but at least he had been able to relax that girl. He'd pass Chelsea's upper cage and almost always made eye contact with her. She never forgot his gentleness.

So knowing that Mr. Wuzzles wasn't the talkative type, he had to abandon getting the key from Marvelo. He instead attempted to use a paperclip and stick the bent out wire in the keyhole. But he waited until it was very late. Where only one other toy patroled the prisons along with himself. With Andy's encouragement, he worked the paperclip in. Neither of them were sure it was going to work, but luckily it did in the end. Andy had bunched up most of the rags and used another as a cover to make it look like he was sleeping underneath it. Then after Wuzzles freed him, he slipped into the bear's pouch. It carried a faint scent of peppermints and butterscotch candies. Andy almost felt like a baby in the womb, as he was in the fetal position inside. But he was glad there was just enough room for him within. He then instructed the bear to get him to a phone. The closest would be Warrick's office. So with much careful movement and what he hoped was a calm demeanor, Mr. Wuzzles set out to help a child once again.

"Well, alright, if you say so," said Mr. Wuzzles.

Andy smiled and started to go back inside. "Oh, and thanks for doing this."

"You're my owner's son, I know he'd, want me to be there for his kids."

Andy bent back down and Wuzzles zipped his pouch up again. They were not far from Warrick's office, but Mr. Wuzzles was still worried. He thought Andy underestimated the situation they were in. If they got caught, the boy was sure to find out just how terrible the wizard could be and why the kids cowered in their cages. He rounded another corner and after making sure it was clear, he headed down toward the office. He could see the light was on, which wasn't too unusual. Normally Warrick did forget to turn off the light before he left. He tiptoed along the wall even though there was no reason to, but then suddenly there was. He heard a voice coming from the room. Mr. Wuzzles looked all around and then ducked behind a large box near the door.

"What's going-" Andy started to say, but was cut off by Mr. Wuzzles.

"Shh. It's Warrick. He's, here."

He peaked from behind the box and looked inside. Warrick was playing a game of internet chess, but he didn't seem happy about it. On his desk, looking down at files was Marvelo. He had a very queer expression on his face as if he wasn't sure what to make of what he was reading.

"No wonder this kid calls himself ChessChampion103. He or she is good," he complimented.

Marvelo turned to him with an obvious look of distaste. "How can you bother with that silly game when we've got more pressing matters to deal with."

"Like, what?"

"Like, that fact that the law enforcement may be closing in on you for the kidnapping of Emily Mills."

"Oh, that. Well, they won't, don't worry."

"How can you be sure?" the wizard questioned.

ChessChampion103 had managed to checkmate Warrick for the third time. He sighed and decided he'd had enough of losing for a while. He rolled over to his desk and confronted the wizard. Out of curiousity, Andy pushed against Mr. Wuzzles' pouch to get him to unzip. Once he did, Andy got a good view of what was happening.

"Andy, what are you...you're going to get caught."

"Shh, I want to hear."

Warrick picked up a file from a large stack of files on his desk. "I can be sure because, I was thinking maybe now is a good time to, go away somewhere for a while."

"Go away?" asked the wizard in a disbelieving tone. "Go away, _where?"_

"Oh I don't know, somewhere nice. Maybe like Tahiti. I've always wanted to go there."

Marvelo rolled his eyes and stared at him as if he were a complete imbecile. "Of all the humans in the world, you're the one I had to get stuck with," he growled.

"Say now," said Warrick in a slightly hurt tone. "I fixed you. You were nothing when I found you."

"Don't say that!" Marvelo warned.

"A beat up broken toy of a boy and girl twins. Remember, they told me how they used to fight over you, not because they liked you, but because they each wanted you to be a villian for their own play. Imagine that."

"_Quiet_" said Marvelo.

"They liked magical toys of dragons, unicorns and witches, and even wizards. But a more impressive wizard doll came along and..."

"_I TOLD YOU NEVER TO SPEAK OF THAT AGAIN!" _Marvelo bellowed, making Warrick jump and causing Mr. Wuzzles to fall over in fright. Marvelo sighed and tried to regain self control. He turned his back on him and looked up at a large framed picture of a farm, complete with cows in a field, that was hung over file cabinets on the wall.

"They lived in the country. I never could get used to that. Then luckily they moved, but they became obssessed with collecting all those mythical toys right after that blasted wizard arrived. Thought he was better than me because of his large size, plush body and colorful robes. But he's nothing compared to me now," he cried in a slightly deranged manner as he waved his wand around. "I've got the real power."

"No thanks to me," Warrick mumbled.

"If only I had it back when I was with those twins. I'd show them what toys are really for. It wasn't about bringing them in and having them sit on shelves or in glass cases. They were supposed to be played with, I was supposed to, but we were ignored after a while because they became such brats who grew into bratty teenagers."

He was silent for a moment. Warrick tapped his fingers on the files. "Then I came along," said Warrick. "When they were getting rid of their collection in a yard sale."

Marvelo chuckled to himself. "But I wasn't the same then. I'd had previous owners like those twins. Kids that didn't appreciate or abused their playthings, then grew up and forgot about them altogether. But those two were my breaking point. They broke me afterall."  
"But I fixed you," said Warrick happily.

Andy scoffed quietly to himself. If he fixed Marvelo, he was a millionaire. From the way he heard it, Marvelo's idea of fun had come from extreme abuse. Warrick didn't seem to realize that he'd only made things worse by giving him his extra talent.

Suddenly the reminiscing changed as Marvelo turned to him with a look of fury. "Which is why, you shouldn't be thinking of going to Tahiti at a time like this! You fix toys, make them better than they were when they were created and played with by abusive, selfish children. You have a job now, a purpose; to bring children and toys together."

"Yeah, but in this way?" asked Warrick. "I don't...I don't know anymore. I'm getting too old for this. We haven't even decided what we're going to do with them once they get older."

"Which is a good reason for us to keep an eye on that idiot teen."

"You mean the Davis kid, Andy. How did he...do today?" Warrick asked curiously.

"Not like the other little ones for once, crying for their mommies. Kept whining about how his toys cared about him."

"His toys."

"Ah yes. Apparently they were trying to help him get back to normal by coming to see you, but in the end they abandoned him because that is what he did to them."

Andy gritted his teeth angrily and made to leap out of the pouch, but Wuzzles pushed him down.

"It's only the first day," Marvelo continued. "He'll learn soon enough."

"But what if he, doesn't learn," Warrick mumbled.

Marvelo turned to him and shook his head as if he should have been capable of understanding. "Wendal, Wendal, Wendal, my dear old friend. Have you forgotten what you have, upstairs?" Marvelo pointed upwards.

Warrick looked up at the ceiling, and was apparently thinking about whatever the wizard was referring to. Andy didn't like the way that sounded and he looked around at Wuzzles for an explaination. The bear could only shrug. He didn't know what was upstairs either. Warrick shook his head quickly. "No, no I don't want it to come to that. This was suppose to be about fun, for the toys. Ever since I learned your secret that's all I've cared about. It's been my life's goal, caring for toys, ever since I was a boy."

"Oh let's not go into the past again," Marvelo grumbled, but Warrick went on as though he didn't hear. He gazed longingly upwards.

"I was an outcast, like you Marvelo. No one understood me but I always felt my toys did, so I was there for them. You saw that when I saved you and you risked talking to me when I was at my worst; about to throw in the towel because I felt the whole thing was useless. I was a grown man surrounded by toys, and abandoned by people. But you spoke to me."

"Yes," Marvelo growled. "That's right. I spoke to you and told you that it doesn't have to be for nothing. That you could truly make toys happy by doing the task you have before you now."

"Of course," Warrick continued. "You only talked to me after I discovered that shrinking powder. It wouldn't be here if it wasn't for my teacher and his travels to foreign lands."

"But that was a good thing. That's where I got the idea to make us both happy. You hated the way kids treated you and their toys, as did I and now the problem is solved. So you see, you have no reason to go to, _Tahiti._ Your place is here."

Warrick studied him for a moment then looked away. He seemed disturbed by the way the wizard was talking to him. It was true. He had only wanted to save toys, but he allowed the wizard to talk him into this deed. That was Marvelo's specialty-his way with words. He could get almost anyone, human or toy, to believe in what he said. But somehow Warrick couldn't help feeling a whole chunk of it was his fault. That his attempt to repair a damaged wizard only furthered the damage beyond repair. He helped toys physically without knowing how it affected them mentally. But he could see the affect clearly when it came to Marvelo. He might not have helped him to be, whatever his old self truly was. He may have turned a mild toy into a monster simply by tinking with the wires in his head.

"But if you're really nervous about being here," said Marvelo quietly. "We can all leave. Take our plans to another city."

"Well, maybe," answered Warrick.

"Maybe. Come now, you should be getting on your way home for the night."

"Yeah," Warrick yawned. "I suppose. I am getting tired. You'll, watch over everything for me?"

"Don't I always?" asked Marvelo with a sneer.

Warrick grabbed Marvelo and set him on the floor, then he picked up a couple of files and stored them away in a drawer. He turned off his computer and left the room. Mr. Wuzzles scooted back behind the box and Andy ducked back down into his pouch as he passed by. Several minutes later, Marvelo left the office. He paused just outside the door and looked around as if he felt someone was watching him. He quickly brushed it off and headed down the hallway.

"Are they gone?" Andy whispered through the pouch.

"Yeah, I think, so," said Mr. Wuzzles.

"Good, then go. Hurry."

"But, but Andy. Are you sure you, want to do this?"

"More than ever. Please, go!"

The bear took a shaky breath and entered the space. He glanced around at the large office, knowing it was the last place he as well as a kid should be. Andy carefully climbed out of the pouch, then headed for the chair.

"No wonder that wizard's so screwed up," he said as he started to climb. "It was that Warrick messing with him. But, I bet a lot of it is on the wizard himself."

"He was only trying to...help," Mr. Wuzzles drifted off in uncertainty of his own words.

Andy stood on the seat of Warrick's chair and looked back down at him. He couldn't be sure if Mr. Wuzzles had been brainwashed to believe this or if he simply thought Warrick was being nice. Maybe in the beginning he was, but it was a different story now.

"That might have been his idea in the begining, but he's only made it worse; endangering the lives of all these kids. There's no excuse for that. He has to be stopped."

He turned from him and set his sights on the desk. He got into the position to jump and leaped across to catch the edge. He was glad he'd had some experience climbing onto a desk earlier as it was getting easier for him. Once he was ontop, he noticed all the things that cluttered up his desk. Pencils and pens, and a couple of random papers were cluttered together. There were a few small bottles near a black phone; Andy assumed the bottles were inks. Near those bottles and at the edges of the desk were two stacks of files. The one the wizard had been reading was right under his feet. He bent down and saw the open file contained articles and pictures of the missing Emily Mills. He stepped over to the stack and looked at the papers sticking out of files. They were also articles of missing children; the ones he had taken. He rested his hand on a picture of a young boy that was sticking out of a corner. He wondered how long it would be before Warrick had a file on him. With the way things were going, it didn't seem likely things would ever get back to normal again.

"What are you doing!" Mr. Wuzzles whispered loudly. "What are you looking for?"

"A way out remember?," Andy sighed. "If this place wasn't to guarded, I'd have you give me a tour so I can figure out the best escape for all of us."

"All, of us?" he asked confused.

"Yeah, all of us," Andy declared. "I can't just escape and leave all these kids behind."

He approached the phone and pulled the reciever, with some effort, off the hook. He quickly dialed 911 and waited. Down below, Mr. Wuzzles wriggled his paws nervously.

"Police department, what's your emergency?"

"My emergency is that I have information on the missing kids. They're being held by a man named Mr. Wendal Warrick."

"Where are the children being held?"

"They're at...Hey Wuzzles! What's this address?"

frowned as if he was just as confused by the question as he was about Andy being his owner's son. "Ah, I don't know it."

"You don't," Andy paused and moved away so the woman on the phone couldn't here. "You don't know! How could you not know?"

"We don't, only Marvelo would know."

"Well he's not going to help me is he?"

"No...I guess not."

"Hello, sir? Are you still there?"

"Ah, yeah, I am," he cried as he hurried back to the reciever. "Listen, I'm not fully sure on the address. I just know that it's a large warehouse, like somewhere out in the country. But you can check out this guy Warrick. He lives on 239 Elm Street."

"Sir, how did you come across this information?"

"I ah, because he kidnapped me too. Me and all the other kids are here, but we don't exactly know where. But I know where our kidnapper lives so you've got to check him out."

There was the sound of a closing door that made Mr. Wuzzles jump and made Andy suddenly nervous. Warrick could be coming back, or it could be one of the toys or even Marvelo. Either way, he couldn't afford to stay on the line any longer.

"Listen, I've gotta go. Please hurry!" Andy sighed as he pushed the phone back onto the hook. "Maybe if I'm lucky, this phone line isn't blocked and they'll be able to trace this call. But with Marvelo pulling the strings, I doubt he'd let Warrick forget to do something about that."

Mr. Wuzzles nodded in agreement. "Marvelo made sure every precaution was covered. He did, once suggest cameras."

"But," Andy started as he began to pale. Now wasn't the time to mention hidden cameras. "There aren't any, right?"

Mr. Wuzzles shook his head. "Nah. Warrick couldn't afford it, and he, has enough toys not to."

Andy gave a slow sigh of relief, even though he was still jumpy. Contacting the police seemed to be both a good idea and a bad one. There was a good chance Warrick would talk himself out of trouble (though it was the wizard that had a way with words) or the cops would think of his call as a hoax. Either way, he felt like he would pay for it later; or worse, the kids would pay for it. He didn't know how punishments worked around here and he didn't want to find out. But he was still risking everything by making the call. That gave him all the more reason to try and search out an escape route for all of them whether or not the police failed.

"You're, finished now right?" asked Mr. Wuzzles nervously. He unzipped his pouch and opened it as if he expected Andy to jump down into it from the desk. Andy hesitated, then looked over at the phone again.

"Well, I...not quite." He pushed the reciever back off the phone then hovered over the keypad.

"What are you, doing! We can't stay here, any longer!" Mr. Wuzzles cried. "Someone could be coming!"

Andy hesitated again as he stared out the open door. That closing door was a good reason to drop what he was doing and dive back into Mr. Wuzzles' pouch, but he felt a strong need to make another call. Maybe it was the feeling of nostalgia, which seemed to be growing the longer he was in Mr. Wuzzles' prescence.

"I, know, but I have to do this," he told him as he made to push down the numbers. "I don't know what's going to happen to me after this. If I don't get out of here, well, at least I'll have talked to him."

"Talk to who?" Mr. Wuzzles asked, but Andy was focused on the ringing of the phone.

He shuffled from one foot to the other as he tried to wait patiently for him to answer. Mr. Wuzzles kept glancing at the door, but Andy's eyes never left the phone.

"Hello?" said a man's voice on the other end. For a minute Andy couldn't speak. He was taken aback as if he hadn't expected anyone to answer.

"Ah hello?" said Andy.

"Hello? Who is this?"

"Dad?"

"Andy? Is that you?" asked the man in surprise.

"Yeah, it's me dad," said Andy akwardly. He had no idea how to speak to him after all these years of no contact. "Ah, it's been a long time."

"Andy, wha...yeah it's been a while. Is something wrong? How's Molly? How's your mom?"

"They're fine," he answered, pleased that he was still thinking of them. "I ah..I wanted to call you because, well..." He trailed off as his eyes fell to Mr. Wuzzles. He was staring at the phone as though he had never seen anything like it. He had heard Anthony's voice and was instantly pulled out of his fears of getting caught. That was his boy on the line! His old owner and best friend who he hadn't heard in what must be decades. But he knew it all the same.

Seeing that he was so awestruck by just hearing his dad, made Andy wonder if it would be the same for his toys after he had long grown out of them. But he was sure nothing like that could happen now. Not after this. Andy had no reason to give up his toys once he got older.

"Andy, son, are you still there?"

"Yeah, I'm here. I, wanted to call you because, you'll never guess who I found-Mr. Wuzzles!"

At this, jumped as if he'd been electrocuted.

"You remember him, don't you dad?"

"Mr. Wuzzles?" his dad asked in confusion. Down below, Mr. Wuzzles was wriggling his paws again and looking very anxious. Andy waited, hoping his dad hadn't forgotten, and then he heard him laugh. "Oh yes. Good old Mr. Wuzzles. I rememeber that bear, he was my favorite as a kid." Andy could tell Mr. Wuzzles wanted to melt to the floor, but he remained firm as if the information didn't move him. But it was clear that it did.

"How did you find him?"

"Well, Among a bunch of trash," he said bitterly, referring to Warrick's toys. "He's still in pretty good shape."

"Oh, well that's, that's good to hear. But you didn't call me just to talk about bears did you?"

"Oh, well, no, I ah..." He didn't know the best way to say it. He couldn't tell him what happened without being feared insane. But even if he did mention he was kidnapped, it would alert his mom and another weight of stress would be on his shoulders. "I just, when I came across Mr. Wuzzles, I just felt like talking to you. Things seem to be, hard right now and I wanted, I wanted-"

"A man to man talk?" his dad asked.

"I guess, something like that, but I don't have a lot of time and I can't really explain it and-"

"It's okay son, I understand. You're growing up, and I expected us to have this kind of talk. You know you can talk to me whenever and for however long you'd like. I'm still your father and whatever is troubling you at the moment, I want you to believe it will get better. Okay?"

"Yeah, okay."

"If things seem impossible, know that you have so many people that care about you and believe in you."

"I, I'll try. I think I have to go now," he said with an air of sadness. "I just wanted to talk to you, in case, well.."

"That's okay. I'm glad you called. And I'd be more glad to see you sometime, that is if you bring Mr. Wuzzles. I hated that I threw him out like that, I wasn't thinking. He was a great friend, but I thought I was too old for him."

"Ah dad, I don't think anyone's too old for old friends."

"I guess you're right," he said, laughing. Andy smiled.

"Well, bye dad. And thanks."

"Goodbye Andy. Give the family my love okay."

The phone clicked off, but Andy was realizing he felt a lot less hollow than he did when he got here. His dad's words had encouraged him not to give up. It was what he would expect if Woody was with him. Right now, all the kids, including himself, believed they were forever trapped as playthings for toys. But Andy had found comforting words. He had reached out and recieved help. And whether or not the call to the police actually saved them, Andy was just happy to have recieved the other call as it greatly helped him now.

He sighed and moved toward the edge of the desk and peered down at Mr. Wuzzles. His lower lip was trembling but he could hardly tell since the mustache covered it.

"I never thought," he started in a shaky voice. "I never thought I'd hear, Anthony again. And he remembered. He remembered me."

"I'm glad," said Andy smiling. "He remembered you, and he hadn't forgotten about me. I sometimes felt that he did, which probably isn't any different from what most of these toys felt when their owners were done with them. It's not so different from what Woody and the others...but, it's not true. Not anymore."

looked up at him and nodded. Then the first trace of a real smile appeared on the bear's face. For once he wasn't so gloomy and Andy was pleased as he looked much better this way.

"I, I think it's time to go now."

"I think so too," Andy agreed. He was just turning to make his way back to the other end and jump to the chair, when his eyes caught sight of the bottles. Four of the five of them had a dark substance inside, but the fifth one was clear. Upon further inspection, Andy saw that it didn't possess the shape of an ink bottle like the others. He leaned it back and looked at the writting scrawled on the front which was written in some foreign language he didn't understand. But below the label, written in english, was a message that made his eyes widen in shock.

_**Antidote for small children. [ in case of emergency. One bottle full]. **_

_**after-effects-[re-growth, no memory of events]**_

Andy stared at it in disbelief. Could this be what he'd been looking for all this time? His hands shook slightly as he lifted the bottle higher and carried it to the edge of the table so Mr. Wuzzles could see.

"Mr. Wuzzles!"

"Andy? I thought we were, leav-"

"We are but take a look at this," he said in a hurry. "This! It says it's the antidote, the cure for all the kids who've been shrunk. Is it?"

Mr. Wuzzles gawked at it uncertainly. "I, I don't know-"

"Do you know if Warrick has ever used it on a kid? Maybe there was some kind of emergency and he had to make a kid grow again?"

Mr. Wuzzles' brow furrowed in deep thought. "Well, I believe once in the beginning, before there were so many children. Marvelo told us regrettably a child had to return home. Too much attention, for us. A small blonde haired boy, I think. I don't remember how or what happened to him. I'm sorry."

But Andy had got his answer. He tried to think why he didn't find this strange, and then it hit him. It was just before the kidnappings were becoming so frequent. A boy he remembered as Scott was kidnapped in California. He was from a wealthy family, and his parents went all out to makes sure he was found again. Four weeks after he had been taken, he was found in the park where he had supposedly been abducted. No one ever found out what had happened to him because the boy claimed he couldn't remember. As far as he knew, he fell asleep and woke up four weeks later in the park. It frustrated the police and his own parents to no end. All they could assume was he had been drugged or threathened not to say anything. But Scott had been sincere about not recalling being kidnapped, and was very shaken up about his lack of memory.

If Scott had indeed been kidnapped by Warrick and made to be a toy slave, it made sense that he wouldn't admit it. No one would believe he had been shrunk. But now that he had the possible solution in his hands, it didn't seem likely that Warrick had to worry about getting turned in. The good thing about the antidote was that it cured shrinkage, but the bad thing was that it made the victim forget who had taken him and what unatural thing had happened. Warrick and Marvelo were safe.

Andy stared down at the clear bottle with a mix of relief and fear. This was what he wanted. What he traveled all over the city to get, with his newfound friends, in order to forget his situation.

But now all he wanted to do was remember it.

**Aww, poor Andy. He had a nice conversation with his dad though. That's why I needed him alive. Even though he doesn't know what's going on, he was able to shake Andy out of the hopelessness he was feeling. It was kind of tricky to write, as Andy couldn't give away his situation, and he's so limited on time. Anyways, it practically mirrors his phone call to his mom. Andy's in a dire situation and he needs words of comfort.**

**Speaking of comfort, Marvelo's past was revealed. He wasn't the toy of happy homes. Looking back on the Toy Story movies, the wizard's backstory is more serious: You had the Prospector who was never bought, Jessie who was abandoned, Lotso who was replaced. Here we have Marvelo who was broken. Often the toys' story make you feel for them; not sure that feeling can be felt here. That abuse, and Warrick's own tinkering, no doubt pushed the toy to a dangerous level. **_**Yet you haven't seen how dangerous he can be!**_

**Anyways, the cure was revealed! But with one minor side-effect. But can Andy put all his hopes in this foreign liquid? Did his call to the police work? Then there's the situation of Woody and the others.**

**Well keep reading to find out. And as always **_**review!**_


	24. Chapter 24

**disclaimer: I don't own Toy Story**

**Well guys, if some of you are like me, you might be dealing with school stuff. But I hope you're still finding time to read! I'm glad many of you are favoriting this fic; and a plus if you're reviewing. Miracously I'm finding time to write. Anyways. Last time a major revelation was revealed with the cure! Here comes a few more.**

**What's Andy going to do now?**

Major Revelations

Andy fingered the large bottle carefully in his hands, oblivious to the fact that he wasn't suppose to be in Warrick's office. Someone, either toy or Warrick himself was walking about in the hall, opening and closing doors. He knew he should get out before he was discovered, but he was at a stand still. Here was the cure, but he didn't know if he could use it just yet. And what about all the other kids? They deserved to be their right size and returned to their homes, away from this form of slavery. But he just didn't know what to do.

"Andy..." Mr. wuzzles called to him. "We have to, go.."

"I..I know, but," Andy stuttered, his eyes still on the bottle. He looked all around the room and then back to the other bottles on the desk. There had to be more of this stuff somewhere else. Andy moved closer to the edge of the table and shifted the bottle in his hands. "There's got to be more of this stuff. Where do you think Warrick keeps it?"

Mr. Wuzzles bowed his head in thought. "I...I don't know. Home, maybe?"

"Maybe. But stuff like this, he'd need close by for emergencies, but not where a kid could stumble across it." But it wasn't likely any kid would stumble across it since they were locked down and watched at all times. That gave Andy more of a reason to leave the office and hurry back to his cage. For all he knew Marvelo could be patroling near it and catch the trick.

"Andy!" he whispered more urgently.

"I know, it's just that..."

And then it happened. There was the sound of a door slamming so suddenly that it surprised Andy. He jumped, the bottle slipped and went crashing to the floor, where it broke and scattered pieces of glass all over the place. The precious liquid escaped along the floor, becoming useless. Like the bottle, all of Andy's hopes were shattered. He could have been wrong in his asumption. That the bottle was the last cure Warrick possessed. He could have been using it to make more and now it was gone. All he could do was stare. It almost felt as if the whole trip had been pointless.

Outside, there were sounds of muffled voices. The crash had been heard and someone was coming to investigate. Mr. Wuzzles shivered in fright.

"Andy, come on, quick!" he urged.

Andy forced himself out of his trace and quickly jumped to the chair. From there he made a rushed climb to the floor and hurried over to the bear. He ducked down back inside the pouch, but not before giving his shattered hope one last look.

"Get down, there's nothing we can do," Mr. Wuzzles whispered as he practically pushed him inside.

"But, we can't-"

Andy started to tell him they couldn't leave evidence behind, but was cut off by the bear zipping up the pouch again. Mr. Wuzzles quickly turned to the door and hurried over to it. He paused just outside the door frame and looked around.

"Looks like the coast is clear," he whispered. He slowly turned to travel back down the hall when he was instantly met by a group of waiting toys. Marvelo was standing there, staring at him with a serious expression. Behind him were, Pinky the gorilla, the G.I Joe, and the pirate patched gray bunny known as Jack. They all looked down on him as if he were the lowest of toys here, which was their actual opinion. Mr. Wuzzles took a few nervous steps back.

"Well now, who do we have here? Old Mr. Wuzzles out for a stroll?" Marvelo questioned in a horribly sweet sounding voice.

"Uh, ah, something like that, yes," he answered quietly.

"I didn't figure you much for a stroller," said Marvelo as he started to circle around the bear, eyeing his pouched belly very closely. "Did my eyes decieve me or did I just witness you vacating Warrick's office. You know toys aren't allowed in there."

"Oh, I know. I just, thought Warrick was still here."

"Something you wanted to discuss? If there's a problem I'd perfer you come to me," Marvelo told him with a smile.

"No, it's not...like that." Mr. Wuzzle went to wriggling his paws nervously. Inside the pouch, Andy held as still as possible and practically kept himself from breathing. Marvelo was too close for comfort and the slightest sound or movement would alert him.

"I see. And I also see that you seemed to have gained some weight." Marvelo patted 's belly. He pulled away and the other toys snickered.

"Been stuffed lately?" asked Pinky with a wicked grin on his face.

Mr. Wuzzles felt like the walls were closing in, with Marvelo's crew being the walls. He moved several steps away and stuttered as he tried to come up with a believable explaination. Andy thought he should agree with Pinky and use the cover about Warrick giving him stuffing, but either Wuzzles knew Marvelo would see right through it, or he was too scare to come up with the excuse.

"I...I, ah, well, I..."

"It's stuffed all right," Marvelo agreed as Pinky and the G.I Joe grabbed his arms and held him still. Marvelo reached for the pouch and unzipped it. "Stuffed with teenage boy!" He reached in, grabbing a handful of Andy's hair and pulled him out of the pouch. Andy groaned and fought to get him to release, but the wizard's grip was like iron. He shook Andy by the hair, making him cry out in pain.

"One of you mind telling me what this is all about?" sneered the wizard. "A little alone time for late night play?"

"Let me go you..OWW!"

Marvelo gave a nasty pull against his hair. "Be still! Did you actually think that little trick of covered rags would fool me? Did you! Did you think we were that stupid!"

Through the pain of being manhandled, Andy started to answer, but Mr. Wuzzles beat him to it.

"He was afraid, and I thought a nice stroll would..."

"You really expect me to believe that? You just happened to be hiding a practically grown kid away from the nice view of a stroll and step into Warrick's office, where there's a phone. Are you really that stupid!"

He said it with such venom in his voice that Mr. Wuzzles was silenced at once. Andy still appreciated his attempt to cover for him.

"No," Andy groaned in pain. "He's not stupid, you are!"

Marvelo raised his eyebrows and released his hold on Andy. Andy steadied himself on the floor.

"Pardon me, I didn't quite catch that," he said slowly.

"I said, you're the stupid one," he gasped. "I...I heard everything, from outside the office...I heard what you said to Warrick about your past. About how you felt abandoned."

Marvelo shifted his gaze to the other toys as if he feared them hearing what he was saying.

"I'm sure hundreds of toys feel that way," Andy continued, "but they don't go around locking kids away for their own amusement. Kids grow up, that's, that's life. If they didn't, nothing would get done. They'd never, know what it's like to have to take care of themselves, or to have families...or have their dreams come true."

Andy turned away from him and looked down at the floor. He suddenly felt as if he were talking to himself. Ever since he'd entered high school, long before he turned fifteen, he'd felt frightened of actually growing up. Just as he admitted to Woody and the others when they had their camp out. But he had been learning it was also a scary thing for toys. Still, growing up wasn't something he was suppose to be afraid of (even though he learned it was okay to be a little afraid). It was something he was suppose to embrace. Here he was telling this to a toy, when he probably should have been saying it to himself all along. He was right. Kids didn't stay kids forever, and it was a change they all had to deal with-human and toy.

"If...," he continued. "If it weren't for us growing up, you wouldn't be here!"

Pinky, the one eyed bunny Jack, the G.I Joe and even Mr. Wuzzles gasped. Marvelo stayed firm.

"Who do you think makes the toys!"

"What do you know about us!" Marvelo demanded. "What do you really know about us? About getting abandoned?"

"I do know," Andy said quietly. "I felt like I had been abandoned when, when my dad left us and had another family. I thought he'd forgotten me, but it wasn't like that. Some things don't last, Marvelo, but the memories do. And when I understood it better, I was okay with it. He was happy. That's the role of a toy isn't it? To make people happy while they're young?"

A short moment of silence followed his speech, then laughter from Marvelo's hench-toys.

"Ahh, isn't that sweet," Pinky cooed in a falsely sweet voice.

"Almost makes me wanna cry," said Jack as he threw his head back and laughed louder. Andy glared and made to run over to them, if only to tell them to shut-up. Marvelo stopped him by grabbing ahold of his hair once again.

"You think you can compare our lives? Hmm? Your thoughts of abandonment was a mistake, mine was real!"

"But you don't have to do this. You don't have to hurt kids for what your owners have done to you!"

Marvelo growled and looked as if he were ready to slap him, but a tentative voice interrupted. A voice that made the wizard cringe with irritation.

"Professor! Professor Dumbledore, there you are!" Harry Potter cried as he moved over to them. Everyone looked around. Once again, he didn't seem to notice how serious the situation was before him. "I couldn't find Hermione, but then I thought about the Triwizard Tournament. Do you think it could be a plot of Voldemort's?"

Marvelo was seething with rage. "_How, would I know if a tournament, is some plot of Voldemort's!"_

"Oh, well, I just thought, maybe it was. But you haven't said when that tournament is."

"There is no tournament!" Marvelo yelled. "There is no Voldemort! You, are a toy!" At this Andy smirked, reminded of Woody telling him that Buzz once thought he was the real deal. "Start acting like one. Round up some kids for your silly wizard game and leave me alone!"

"But Professor Dumbledore."

"I am not Professor Dumbledore!" Marvelo shouted.

Harry paused and gaped at him. "But, you look just like him."

"Then I shall act like him and send you to detention, with Malfoy if you don't get out of here! Now!"

Harry jumped, then nodded. "Yes sir." He turned and hurried back down the hall from where he came from. Marvelo slowly turned back to Andy. His irritation still expressed on his features.

"Humans, may get abandoned from time to time at one age or another, but the difference is we do something about it. And as I said in the beginning, no one is coming for you. Not the police, not your parents, and certainly not your toys. You are here, to play, understand. So no more of this sneaking about or I shall make you truly understand what it's like, to be a _toy_! Take him away."

Pinky and the G.I. Joe took Andy by the arms and escorted him away while Marvelo stepped up to a cowering Mr. Wuzzles. He waited for the bear to try and compose himself, but he was simply too frightened of the wizard.

"We had a close call just now, didn't we?" he asked lazily.

"Well I..I ah..."

"That boy alerted the police, didn't he? They won't find anything. I know Warrick will come up with something. I've taken care of the criminal, now for the accomplice." Marvelo pushed his angered face right into the bear's. Mr. Wuzzles was pushed up against the wall. He was shaking worse than ever and gulped nervously.

"Please..I...I. He's my owner's son. I just...I wanted.."

"That's understandable my fluffy friend. Having this connection with a child you think cares about you. He doesn't. None of these kids truly care, so we make them care. It's for their own good. Remember that. And remember that the next time I catch you doing something as under-handed as this, it'll be straight to the shredder for you! Got it?"

Mr. Wuzzles nodded slowly. Marvelo smiled softly and gave a polite nod.

"Good night then," he told him as he walked away, leaving Mr. Wuzzles fearful for his safety.

Morale could not have been lower as the search through each backyard brought the toys no closer to reuniting them with Andy. All day long it had been careful prodding about up the alley, with no luck. When they had become four houses away from Warrick's and the rescue was becoming more negative, the toys fell silent. No one would say anything unless they came across the boy. A silent agreement that continued to stay strong. It was all because of Woody. The dark stony look on his face kept the others from trying to console him or offer words of encouragement. Buzz tried engaging him in simple conversation, joking about the stuff people threw away, but it fell on deaf ears. But Buzz hoped a little laugh, however small, would be better than this nasty depression that was wavering over them. They were starting to believe an assumed truth. That Andy was dead. That they were wasting their time. No one said that, but he knew it was surfacing in the minds of his fellow toys, especially Woody. He had never seen the cowboy look so frustrated and depressed at the same time. It caused the others to follow a few steps behind him.

Buzz sighed and silently prayed that their luck would change when they reached the other four houses, however his feelings told him it wasn't going to be so.

Night had come and the backyards of the last four houses had been searched. It brought more disappointment and it concluded that Andy was no where in the alley or in the backyards. That only left Warrick's house, and if he hadn't gone there on his own, then he was...gone.

Buzz looked at Woody. He was gazing coldly at the house through the gaps of his wooden fence. They had all gathered around him and stared at it. The man responsible for this whole mess was inside that home and hopefully so was Andy. Better yet, though Buzz wasn't sure how he felt about it, Andy could have gotten Warrick to make him big again. Buzz wanted to share this hope with Woody and the other toys, but he wasn't sure the reaction would be full of happiness. Of course it's what they wanted for their owner, but if Andy had already cured himself, it seemed to imply he left them out of helping him. That he hadn't bothered to say goodbye and forgot all about them. _'Unless he decided to search the alley for us'_ thought Buzz. He turned back to the house. None of them had discussed the best way to approach it. He started to point this out when Woody beat him to it.

"Alright," he said in a serious voice. "We scout out the backyard. If we find nothing, we'll head inside. Any questions?"

There were nervous shakes of the head. This was their last hope.

"Sounds, good to me Woody," sighed Buzz. "But, in my opinion I don't think Andy would be waiting outside. If he's..I mean here, he would be inside. I think we should go ahead and enter the household."

"How will we do that?" asked Slinky.

Buzz paused and looked back at the house. It wasn't well kept. He could see large cracks and openings from where they stood. Any burglar would have an easy access here. "Let's head over there and find out." He stepped through the gap, but not before noticing Woody's stare. Woody had quickly become a leader of the search party when house upon house failed, and now Buzz was taking over again. Buzz was sure he probably didn't like it, but it didn't matter now. They had the same goal.

The others quickly entered the yard, Woody being the last to climb through.

The trek through the grass fell to an endless silence. The only sounds came from their traveling feet, as well as from Rex who started to whimper. When they neared the side of the house, Rex couldn't take being quiet any longer. He was practically trembling with whatever was roaming through his mind.

"What if he's not here! What if, what if he's not at this house!"

Everyone had paused and stared at him in horror. It was their obvious thoughts; the ones they weren't willing to share anymore, but Rex had to bring it up again. Clearly if he kept it in any longer, he would have burst. Their heads lowered. They understood. He needed assurrance to know what they were going to do if this didn't turn out right. Woody felt like he understood all the more. When the silence fell, he had ignored what the other toys had been feeling about this and instead of consoling them, he shut down. They looked up to Woody, just as Andy always had as a boy. How would he feel to know his cowboy had lost faith in his survival and not looked after the rest of his toys?

He looked at the trembling Rex. If he could shed tears, he'd be able to create a waterfall.

"It's all right Rex," he said with a small smile. "We don't have to worry about that. We're going to get him back where ever he might be."

Rex sniffled and nodded. The other toys nodded as well as a positive feeling started to spread through them. Buzz saluted Woody.

"That's the spirit partner. Now, let's find a way in," said Buzz.

"How about up there?" said Slinky as he nodded up to a slightly opened window.

"That's perfect."

"Perfect," said Mr. Potato Head. "We're going to climb all the way up there?"

"It's not that high. We'll...let's see," Buzz started as he looked around for the answer. He found it with a pile of cardboard boxes that had clearly been apart of garage sales. A few of them had _'Toys'_ written on the front.

Several minutes later, the boxes were moved into place to raise them up to the window. One by one they climbed inside, Buzz being the first. He landed at once on the counter top of a very small and disgusting looking kitchen. The sink was overflowing with loads of dirty dishes. The stove was full of grease with pots on the burners that had overflowed with burnt food. The foul order waffed around them. The stove was placed next to a rusty refrigerator at a dusty spot on a floor that was a mix of unidentifiable food spills. All the toys cringed and groaned in disgust.

"Jezz, didn't this guy ever hear of good house keeping?" asked Mr. Potato Head. "My wife would faint at the sight of this place."

"Shh, quiet!" said Buzz. "He could still be around."

"Then let's get out of here," said Hamm.

They came across a broom nearby. Though it wasn't doing the kitchen much good, it did help them reach the floor. They were at least thankful the food on the floor was dry, but it still wasn't a pleasant journey to walk across it.

"I'm gonna have to get Andy to get me new shoes after this," said Mr. Potato Head, after he had to pull one of his shoes free from a sticky yellow substance he stepped into.

"At least you have shoes," said Hamm.

When they were out of the kitchen, they crossed to the front room. Like the kitchen it was rather small; just large enough for one mysterious man to live in. None of them felt easy about being in the livingroom, so they hurried along down a hall. They assumed the place was empty of Warrick, which gave reason for Woody to call out softly for Andy. But Buzz quieted him soon enough. They couldn't be fully sure they were alone. The place was dark and lonely, especially now that it was night. The sooner they got out of here the better.

They passed a bathroom, a closet, then a room that was barely lit with a lamp. Upon a passing glance it was just a room of Warrick's collections. But it caught Buzz's attention and he halted the party.

"Hold on guys."

"What is it?" whispered Rex as he and the others back tracked toward him.

"We haven't talked about where we're going to explore here, so let's start in this room."

Buzz stepped further into the room and the others followed. It wasn't simply a collection room. It was set up as more of a workshop that was junked with a variety of stuff, and they noticed it was the first large room they had seen in the small home. There were cardboard boxes all along the floor; some filled with, what they were disturbed to see, toy parts. Old books, computer parts, and other items that appeared to have come from many garage sales were making up much of the clutter. The tables had various tools on them, including a few toys that were being worked on, and blueprints for toys and how to fix them were pinned to the walls. There were also shelves running along all four walls that held toys that seemed to be in good condition.

Woody gulped and looked around nervously. If he ever had the chance to see Sid as an adult, he was sure his room might advance to something like this, but much worse. Andy had said Warrick fixed toys and from what he could see, it was a good thing. The toys on the shelves looked well, but then he had to remind himself of the wizard. Since Warrick had much to do with him, he wondered if the toys up there would be just like that monster. He hoped he wouldn't have to find out.

"Do you think that wizard's here?" Woody whispered out of the corner of his mouth, while keeping an eye on the shelves.

Buzz and the others gazed around from where they stood.

"Well, there's only one way to find out. Let's spread out."

The toys froze. They were ever so reluctant to go searching around this darkened room.

"Ah, are you sure that's wise?" asked Mr. Potato Head. "We don't know anything about this Warrick and we don't know what could be in this room."

"Well, the best thing would be Andy," Woody argued.

"Andy wouldn't be in a room like this," said Slinky.

"We won't know until we look," Woody declared. "We'll search this whole place until we find him."

Suddenly, there was a sound of car tires turning. Woody and the others jumped.

"Is it him! Is it Warrick?" cried Rex.

"No," said Hamm. "It's coming from behind that box!"

One of the cardboard boxes was shaking. They all backed away and kept their eyes focused on it. The car sounds became louder and then the box tipped over. Pieces of styrofoam fell out along with a very familar looking race car. Woody's fear quickly evaporated and he became overjoyed as he hurried to it.

"Rc! What are you doing here!" he cried.

It was Andy's old green and blue racer, still in good condition. Woody playfully rubbed the top of his headlights. If he couldn't have been surprised by seeing Andy, he was at least pleased to see an old toy of his; particularly one he got rid of.

"It's so good to see you again old pal."

Rc rumbled in delight of seeing him and the others.

"Well ain't that a stroke of luck," said Slinky.

"It sure is," said Hamm.

Rc turned away from them and rolled over behind the box he came out of. He rolled his tires several times as if he were alerting someone.

"What is it Rc?" asked Buzz.

He had his answer when two more toys appeared, both of them the toys Andy had recently gotten rid of. The strong man appeared along with the ABC speller box. His computerized smily face widened at the sight of them. It was like old times as the toys gathered together in greeting. Woody still could not believe it. Like the sign of old friends showing up out of the blue was meant to let them know everything would be all right. Their already wavering moods lightened immediately. It had been a bad day to see them go, so much so they hadn't bothered to see who had purchased them. It was too painful. But now they were together again. Extra hands to help locate their owner.

Woody believed it was truly possible now. If they could meet up with their old toy pals, why not their old pal Andy?

**Nnnoooooooo! The cure is gone! So much for forgetting.**

**You know I almost put the cure breaking part at the end of the last chapter, but I thought it best if we embraced the arrival of the cure, for that moment anyways. Now it seems it's gone and there's not another bottle in sight. Andy could be in big trouble with the wizard. Sadly his talk didn't go over so well with him. That conversation was another reason why Andy's dad had to live for this fic. Andy hoped to soften the wizard by saying he knew what it was like to be abandoned. A way to try and connect with the toys' feelings. He made important points about the importance of growing up, which is a sign of Andy's own maturity and acceptance at his own transition from childhood to adulthood. But of course the wizard's not buying it.**

**On the bright side, Woody and the others reunited with Andy's other toys. As I hope you recall in chapter 1, Warrick bought the toys Andy gave away.**

**There's some loose threads here that need answering, so in the mean time review and I'll update soon!**


	25. Chapter 25

**disclaimer: I don't own Toy Story**

**Lovin the reviews guys! **

**So, Woody and the others have reunited with old friends, and Andy may find himself in trouble**

Rescue Plans in Motion

Once their celebration of reuniting had settled down, they moved onto the more pressing question of what all of them were doing at Warrick's.

"It's good to see all of you, it really is," said Woody. "But, what are you doing here?"

"Didn't you see?" asked the strong man, Rocky Gibraltar. "At the yard sale, no one wanted us, no kid I mean. We were there all day, and just when we thought we'd escaped being sold, this man bought us and brought us here." Rc and Mr. Spell nodded. "He said he'd take good care of us, more than our old owner ever did. He promised when he got more time, he'd improve all of us. He already improved Rc. He rewired him and tossed away his controller."

"Rc?" Woody questioned as the car rolled up to him. He then reversed and showed his interior. Inside, Woody was able to see that Rc had the makings of a real car with a new steering wheel and an actual set of brakes. From what Gibraltar was saying, Rc was now in control of himself. Either that, or he was made to be driven by another toy, but that didn't make sense to Woody.

"He'd said we'd be much happier here," Rocky continued.

At his words, Woody and the others took a moment to study Andy's old toys, to see if they really believed in Warrick. In a way it sounded as if they'd already turned their backs on Andy. That his sentencing them to a yard sale officially broke their trust in their boy. _'But they can't!'_ Woody thought desparately. It wasn't fair on Andy. He had no idea how the toys felt about such things, but he did now and the rest of his toys had to know this. They needed all the help they could get.

"Well don't believe it," said Buzz. Woody looked around as he stepped closer to the wrestler. "The man that purchased you, Warrick, is not to be trusted."

Rc roared his tires in question.

"What I mean is he is responsible for what happened to our owner," Buzz explained. "He's the reason why we're here."

Mr. Spell asked and typed out his question across his face. **"**_**What do you mean?" **_

"We mean he's responsible for the state of our owner, but before I get into that, what do you guys know about him?" asked Woody.

At this, Rocky Gibraltar, Rc and Mr. Spell gave each other uneasy looks. Clearly they had learned something that wasn't right.

"Well," Rocky started fearfully as he cast a nervous gaze up to the shelves and the table. "He...we saw him, _talk_ to his toys."

Woody and the others exchanged curious glances.

"Well what's so weird about that?" asked Mr. Potato Head. "Other than the fact that's he's a grown man."

"Lots of kids talk to toys," said Slinky.

"So did, Andy, remember?" asked Rex in a soft voice.

"Yeah but, when he talked to them, they talked _back_," Rocky explained. Rc zipped backwards behind the box he came out in and Mr. Spell's screen momentarily fizzed with static. It wasn't hard to understand how they felt. The idea of toys breaking the rules like that was _unatural._ Toys were not supposed to be talking to humans, unless it was through their built in speech boxes. But the way Andy's other toys reacted to it showed that it wasn't an accident. That the toys talking to Warrick were doing so knowing that they shouldn't. They had been surprised to hear this, yet at the same time it wasn't so shocking. Afterall, they had spent a good amount of time talking with Andy. But they had been willing to break the rules to help their best friend. It couldn't have been the same for Warrick. His toys had no business speaking to him.

As for Woody, it was more than that. He had broken the rules previous to this little adventure. He looked over at Buzz who nodded at him. He remembered his surprise to the evil kid next door. But afterwards there had been no more talking to humans, until now. But he wondered, they all wondered, if Rocky, Rc, and Mr. Spell would understand that.

"He tried to talk to us too," Rocky continued. "His other toys tried to convince us to come alive, but we...couldn't. We didn't understand how they could. I mean it's not the same as what Woody did to that Sid kid. They talked about all kinds of stuff."

"How about a wizard?" Woody asked suddenly. "Did you guys ever see him talking to a wizard?"

They looked at each other, then Rocky shook his head. "No, we never seen a wizard, but it's like I said. They didn't mind talking to a human."

Again Woody and the others exchanged looks of worry.

"Well, I hope you won't mind us telling you that we've broken that rule for quite some time," said Woody.

"What? You mean that Sid kid is still around?"

"No, no it's nothing like that. What I mean is, we've broken that rule, with our owner, Andy. We've been, talking to him."  
They gasped. Rc rolled his wheels in excitement. Out of the corner of his eye, Woody could have sworn he saw a toy on Warrick's desk twitch.

**"Oh no!"** Mr. Spell quoted.

"But, but how could you?" asked Rocky, disturbed at the idea. "Why would you.."

"We had no choice, he was in trouble and it's all because of this wizard toy of Warrick's."

"What are you talking about?"

Woody sighed as he prepared to explain, though he was sure they'd never believe him.

"All right, I know this is gonna sound crazy but Andy got ahold of Warrick's wizard and he shrunk him down to our size. We decided the best way to get him back to normal would be to bring him here, but along the way we got separated. We think that he may already be here and we could use your help to find him."

The other toys merely blinked in response.

"Uh, you wanna run that by us again?" asked Rocky.

"We're serious," said Buzz. "I know it's hard to believe, but it's true."

"Yeah," said Hamm. "You haven't seen a small human running around here have you?"

"I think we would've of noticed," answered Rocky. Suddenly there was the sound of wheels turning from above them. They all looked up to the desk and saw a red preschool truck with blue eyes, a flat yellow nose and a mustache roll to the edge. But instead of the expected happy-go-lucky look, his expression was quite serious.

"Would you keep it down down there," he said in a rough voice that had something of a Texan accent in it. "We're trying to rest before the master comes...well now, I see what all the ruckus is about. New toys, and in poor condition too."

Mr. Potato Head fumed. "Who are you calling poor condition?" he cried as Slinky jumped in front of him to keep him from charging over to the desk. "If you had any idea of what we've been through-"

"No no no," Buzz interrupted. "We're not new toys. We're here searching for, well, our owner. You see he was-"

"Save it rocketeer, I heard the whole story. You're human's shrunk down a size," said the truck.

"We know how it sounds," said Slinky. "But you've got to believe us."

"Oh-ho, I do believe. All us toys here know about it, 'cept them new toys you're so chummy with."

"You do?" asked Woody incredulously.

"Of course we do. But you won't find you're human here. I'd imagine Warrick has him at the warehouse."

Woody, Buzz, and the rest of the gang traded each other confused looks.

"Ah, warehouse? What warehouse?" asked Woody cautiously.

Before the truck could answer, a tall, fluffy looking bluish toy troll, with a squashed pink nose and yellow horns on his head came forward on the desk. He looked down at them as if he were guilty of a crime.

"The warehouse," he said in a very soft and quiet voice. "Where he keeps all the...children."

The truck rolled closer to the edge and began to explain. He told them about Marvelo and Warrick's kidnapping scheme. How the wizard was given to some chosen boy or girl and that after he performed his shrinking trick, the child would be whisked away. He confessed that Warrick set up a large warehouse in the country where he kept the kids and told them what they were being kept for, (however Andy's toys weren't so sure they believed that part). Warrick had been moving from one city to another, but in the mist of his criminal actions, he still found time to look after discarded and broken toys. It was all for the toys. His and the wizard's attempt to bring kids and toys together. But the silence that followed the story clearly showed what Andy's toys thought about the whole matter.

These toys were completely nuts.

They were utterly confused by the whole thing. How could it be true? Innocent children kidnapped to play? It didn't make any sense. No human in his right mind would come up with such a crazy idea; but they couldn't account for the wizard. Clearly he wasn't in his right mind either, but it did start an idea that Woody thought he was crazy for thinking. That this whole thing could have been dreamt up by the wizard himself. That it was he who pulled the strings. He who decided to take control of human lives and brainwash other toys into thinking that this was the only way to keep them happy.

But it was ridiculous. Why would a human help a toy do such a thing? And maybe more importantly, if all that were true, what had happened to the wizard to make him make a human do such a thing? He considered those questions, yet he still couldn't fully believe the truck's explaination.

Neither the troll nor the red truck expressed any knowledge of Warrick's and Marvelo's past. As much as they seemed to care about the toys, Warrick and Marvelo were still willing to keep them in the dark. Up on the shelves, Warrick's toys began to converse with one another. They had slowly come awake as the truck was sharing their story. Many of them stared down at the truck and at Andy's toys with an angry look. Apparently they didn't think they should have been told so much if they weren't going to stick around as new toys.

"If you don't believe, none of what I just said," the truck challenged. "You can ask Warrick himself when he gets here."

"We're not asking your human," Buzz declared. "You shouldn't even being talking to your human."

"What about you talking to yours?"

"That's different," argued Slinky.

"Different huh? Maybe, but it's no big deal."

"No big deal?" asked Rex.

"Of course not. I know if all toys done it, why, we wouldn't have to worry about getting tossed away or replaced. Admit it, you enjoyed talking with your human didn't you? Well?"

Woody looked around at the others and saw his own feelings refelected on each one of their faces. They had enjoyed talking to Andy. For the first time, they had truly gotten to know their owner, and he had gotten to know them. He was able to see that there wasn't a lot of difference between flesh and plastic. That on the inside, they had feelings and truly cared about others. But there was no time to explain it to the truck. Yes, it had been fun to break the rule, but from what they had experienced there was a time and place for it. Breaking the rules to capture kids was not an excuse.

"We did enjoy it," Woody admitted. "But that's not the point. What your owner and that...that wizard is doing, is wrong! Now tell us where the warehouse is?"

The truck was about to reply, but stopped at the sound of a car rolling up and the closing of it's door.

"It's Warrick! He's back!" cried a ragdoll leapord on the shelf near the window.

A couple of minutes passed before they could hear the front door starting to open. Rex, Hamm and Mr. Potato Head hid with Rocky Gibraltar and Mr. Spell behind one of the boxes while Woody, Slinky and Buzz followed R c behind another. They could hear him moving about the small house in the front room. They could also hear his voice, but not what he was saying until he came into the room. Woody, Buzz and Slinky peeked out and saw he was talking on his cell phone.

"...it's a first offense, that's all. We can't... we go that far for something and...I know, but, he'll learn won't he? You promised that. I'm not being lenient, I just don't think we should go there just yet. But if he pulls anything like that again, there's, no question I guess. Allright. Good night."

He hung up and sighed as he placed his phone in his pocket.

"Anything wrong boss?" asked the red truck.

Behind a box, Rex gasped at seeing the toy's willingness to break rules. Mr. Potato Head quickly covered his mouth.

"Oh, nothing I can't, handle. That Marvelo, I think he's becoming more extreme. He's just impatient, but he has to learn to take it easy." The truck glanced down at where Andy's toys were hiding, but rather than give them away he decided to confirm something.

"Finally nabbed that kid you were after?"

"Huh? Oh, that Davis kid? No, we didn't get the girl, but we got her brother, Andy." At the mention of their owner's name, all of Andy's toys dared being exposed by peeking further from their hiding places. "Nabbed him a night ago. He's not quite squared away, but he'll learn. Marvelo was pushing me to punish him for a little misbehavior but, I'm not worried. He'll learn to accept. No one's coming for him. He's...what the.." He stopped as he noticed a car pulling up behind his own out the window. He was surprised to see it was a police car. "What th..who called the police!"

His toys merely looked at one another as if expecting one of their fellows to confess. Warrick grumbled in irritation.

"I'd better deal with this now, then I can have a nice long rest."

He left the room and slammed the door behind him. Woody rushed out of his hiding spot in a fit of rage. Buzz and Slinky came out slowly while watching Woody rampage silently.

"Ah, Woody?" Buzz started.

"He took him, he took Andy!" he cried angrily. "That no good...and his human..." He was so angry he could barely speak.

Rex, Hamm and Mr. Potato Head joined the others. They were still a little shocked by what they'd heard.

"If I didn't just hear it, I would've sworn I had on the wrong ears," said Mr. Potato Head as he fit an ear back into place. Rex walked up beside him shaking and with his head hanging low.

"You okay there Rex?" asked Hamm.

"Andy," he said quietly, but it was loud enough and sorrowful enough to stop Woody from storming around. It caused the rest of Andy's toys to gather together with the awful news hanging over their heads. "He's, gone. What are we going to do?"

Woody gaped. It was like they were accepting they were never going to see their owner again. Woody couldn't let that happen, especially now since they knew where he was.

"I'll tell you what we're going to do," said Woody. "We're going to get him back."

"But we don't even know where the warehouse is," Slinky reminded them.

"No, but they do," said Woody as he pointed up at Warrick's toys. They either glared or cringed at his accussation. The red truck on the table was glaring and rolled to the edge again.

"Looky here, if you think any one of us is gonna tell you how to get there-"

"You are going to tell us," Woody declared. "Because, deep down, you know this is wrong. Kids shouldn't be taken away from their homes and forced to...do what toys want them to. It's their imagination, their life, that wizard is tampering with and it's wrong. Our owner, we need him and he needs us."

"You're owner's a teen boy," the truck declared. "I heard Warrick say so on several occassions. He don't need you."

Woody paused before continuing.

"I know he's growing up, all kids do eventually. But right now he's still our owner, and he has a family and friends that care about him. He needs to go home. So please, help us."

The truck seemed to be considering his words. All the toys in the room watched him with much anticipation. A minute had passed before he sighed, then shook himself.

"I'm sorry, but I can't. We can't. In case you haven't noticed, we're not in the warehouse. Most of us have never been or don't know how to get there."

Woody and the others were crushed. The feeling that had overcome them during their seemingly endless search through the backyards returned. It was like losing traces of their best friend all over again. The truck rolled away from them before their somber faces could make him feel guilt. He proceeded to take his rightful position on the desk, but was blocked by the bluish troll. But he wasn't looking at the truck, he was looking at the fallen faces of the toys below. He stepped to the edge of the desk.

"Hey, Trolley, what are you-"

"I know how to get there," the troll admitted.

"You do?" asked Rex hopefully. The others looked up as well.

Trolley nodded. "I've been to the warehouse, but, I couldn't bare the way they treated the...children. I, I can show you the way."

When Andy opened his eyes, he didn't find himself in the place he had expected. He had no idea where he truly was , but he had a sinking feeling of what it was. What stretched out before him in the darkened room was what looked like a department store with shelves and counters of various odd looking items that Andy assumed were some kind of toys. But on many of the shelves were boxes with little dolls in them. Dolls that looked as real as he did. Andy gasped and tried to move, but he couldn't. His arms were at his sides, tied down by zipties to the backing of cardboard. Upon looking all around him he quickly concluded that he was in a box. But not just any box. He was in a box meant for toys! He stared out of his prison through the plastic screen of his encasement. His view was up high which meant that he had to be on a shelf, and that those realistic dolls were realistic looking for a reason.

They were kids! Kids that had been tied down and placed in doll boxes. They all seemed to be asleep and eerily still. Andy struggled against his bonds and shook the box so much that he risked hopping the box right off the shelf's edge. It was a long way down as he could see, and not wanting to risk getting broken, he stopped and decided to try something else.

"HELP! ANYONE! HELP" He cried. But the room was silent. No one was here to help him. He looked around as far as the box would let him see, but there didn't seem to be anyone about. Then the lights came up and the room brightened. Andy squinted with the brightness and turned to see who had entered. He was about to call out, but stopped when he saw who it was. It was Marvelo, but he wasn't the same wizard he remembered. He looked to be about six feet tall. Behind him were several more toys, all of them the size of humans. What was going on? Andy started to panic as he watched them all file into the store and look around. The wizard, however, walked around behind a register and awaited the toys who picked out the strage items or boxed up kids for their purchase.

"What's going on? Don't tell me," Andy muttered to himself in fear. Those strange objects had to be toys for the toys, and the boxed up kids were also in that category. The wizard had taken kids as playthings to a whole new level. He was selling them and making a profit. It didn't make any sense. How did Marvelo get a store to sell kids as toys? But more importantly how did he and the other toys get so big?

Andy bounced up and down in a rage and shouted out to him.

"You can't do this! You hear me! Let us go! Let us go!...You can't.." His next words froze in his throat as he took notice of the arrival of a new group of toys. He started to pale as they entered the store and reviewed the objects as well as the boxed children. It was Woody and Buzz. And behind them were the rest of the gang, Hamm, Rex, Mr. Potato Head and Slinky. Andy stared at them in disbelief. Like the other toys, they were as tall as people and didn't seem the least bit bothered by the inhumane kidnapping situation before them. He couldn't believe what they were doing. It was as if Marvelo was right about how much they hated to be parted from their owners. But surely it wouldn't push them to ignore this wrong for the sake of revenge? Woody and Buzz came further into the room, leaving the others behind. Woody examined the boxed children with some distaste which gave Andy some hope. Maybe he did see the wrong.

"Woody! Help me! WOODY! WOODY!"

He wasn't sure if his calls were truly understood through the plastic, but Woody did eventually wander over after his eyes locked onto Andy's. His fear started to fade away as his old toy cowboy doll came up to him. But it was so daunting to see him so big.

"Well now, what do we have here?" he asked.

"Woody, please. It's me, don't you remember me? Andy."

Woody reached for his box and pulled him down. His large face loomed ominously over Andy, making the teen shrink back in worry. Surely Woody wouldn't hurt him? He'd help him. He'd help make him his right size and get him out of here.

"Hey Woody, you found something?" Buzz cried from a few rows down.

"I think I did," said Woody, smiling. He then carried the boxed Andy up to the register. Andy struggled again, but it was useless. He stared up at Woody, tears starting to form in his eyes from the pain of this betrayl. He sensed his favorite toy wasn't going to help him and he didn't know why. Surely he hadn't been talking to Marvelo. Surely he hadn't decided to enslave him in playtime as well?

"Woody! Woody please...what are you doing?"

Woody ignored him and turned to Marvelo instead. "I'd like to purchase this human."

"Purchase?" Andy rasped fearfully. "I'm not a toy! I'm your best friend remember? Your owner! Woody!"

Woody gave no hint that he was listening. Instead he reached in his pocket and pulled out a couple of play money dollar bills which he exchanged with the wizard. He gave Woody back his change in play coins.

"There you are. I hope you are satisfied with your human. Have fun."

"Oh, I think I will," said Woody. He set the box flat on the counter and proceeded to open it. For once, Andy didn't want to leave the confinement of his box. He was terrified of what Woody might do now. Nonetheless, Woody reached in and pulled out the backing. With a large wicked smile on his face, he began to untie Andy. He made one last attempt to make him understand.

"Please! Woody! I didn't mean to abandon you! You're my best friend! Don't do this!"

Woody picked up his struggling form and brought him to eye level. "Let's have fun now Andy."

Andy shivered with horror. "No.."

"Hey Woody, look what I found!" Buzz cried out. Woody looked around and whatever had caught his attention was apparently more interesting than Andy. He let go.

He abandoned his old friend. Andy found himself falling farther and farther away. He screamed out as he fell, horrified more by the fact that Woody was done with him than the fact that he had been dropped and was heading to a concrete floor. Everything was becoming dark. Woody turned his back on him completely as he fell.

"NNNNNOOOOOOOOOOO!"

Andy woke up in a cold sweat. He was shaking horribly and still feeling the intensity of the fall. He looked all around him in confusion and quickly realized he was in a familiar cage in a familiar warehouse. Andy released a small sigh of relief. It had all been a dream. A very bad, yet realistic dream which clearly came about from being in this prison. Slowly he pulled his knees up to his chest and closed his eyes. He wasn't going to go back to sleep. If anything, he was going to stay up all night and come up with an escape. If that dream told him anything, it was that he couldn't sit around and be treated this way forever. At least, that was his own feelings about it. Help may not come through the police. It may not even come from any other toy here besides Mr. Wuzzles. The only thing he could do was stay here and behave like the human toy he was meant to be, like all the other kids were doing -or he could do something about it. He was the oldest one here. He was in the years where he needed to start taking responsibility. Mom wasn't here, and neither was Woody. He was really on his own.

Aside from outside help like Mr. Wuzzles, he felt it was time for him to be more responsible for himself. He wasn't a kid anymore.

Andy smirked at the thought. If he had learned anything from the toys he'd been traveling with, he had come to realize that Woody still thought of him as a kid. He had been a little annoyed that Woody worried over him so much. But then there was the dream. Andy shuttered at the thought of it. To see Woody as himself. One minute playing with his toys and the next turning his back on them. Andy didn't want to believe Woody was like that. He knew him now. He knew he was just as worried about him as he was for himself. Yet, the cowboy wasn't here. He wasn't coming to help him, so Andy was alone.

He opened his eyes and gazed up at the dark ceiling. The fear that he was subsiding started to return again. He couldn't bare it. He just couldn't bare being locked up in this place, forced to play to the desire of these wicked toys for another day. He had to get out of here and he had to do it now. After the stunt he pulled in Warrick's office, who knew if Marvelo was planning to punish him tomorrow. He didn't like the way the toys and kids insinuated what happened when kids were bad around here.

"Hey, hey Andy what's the matter?"

Andy looked down to see Cole looking up at him. He couldn't be sure if he had woke him or not.

"Can't sleep?" he asked, concerned. "Did you have a bad dream?"

"The worst," Andy sighed.

"Oh, well, do what we do when we have bad dreams. Try not to think about them. Least, that's what my mom and Alissa used to tell me."

Cole looked away as the mention of their names filled him with a sudden sadness. Andy studied him carefully. He himself wasn't a kid, yet they were all in the same situation. At the mention of a mom and sister, Andy started to think about his own. How would they feel when they found out he wasn't home? How would his mom take to having to report to the cops that her son's gone missing? Andy couldn't bare the thought of how she would feel. And these kids. They had parents who knew they were missing. But day by day these kids were accepting their new way of life. It wasn't right for them to lose hope like this. They still had a lot more growing up to do; just as he did and he felt it was in his best interest to restore faith. Afterall, he hadn't yet accepted that his life, his home would forever be here.

"You'll get to hear them say things like that again Cole."

"Huh?" Cole asked as he frowned up at Andy. "What makes you so sure?"

Andy wasn't looking at him. He was staring straight ahead, out into the open warehouse as if daring Warrick's toys to confront him with his wild idea.

"Because, we're bustin' out of here."

**Well, it seems Woody and the others have also found a toy in Warrick's bunch that's willing to help. So if toys like Mr. Wuzzles and Trolley are willing to risk their necks...then there's still hope for Andy and the others! Like Woody said, deep down, some of these toys may understand how wrong Warrick and Marvelo are. **

**So finally they know where their owner is. Rc and the others weren't aware of the kidnapping plot as it hadn't been talked about in front of them. They're still new and they're meant to adjust to the situation first, so the information on Andy's kidnapping is new to them also. Originally I wasn't going to have Warrick's toys explain what happened to the kids. It was going to be an unexpected surprise, but great surprises are still in store for them!**

**I enjoyed writing that dream sequence which was basically inspired by Woody's dream in TS2. So eerie. You know it could be a fic all by itself! Like a Twilight Zonish episode. Here, it gave Andy a dose of what toys go through with abandonment, but more importantly it stressed his concern that Woody wasn't going to be there for him as he was starting to believe what Marvelo said about him. That in turn inspires him to try another rescue plot. I'll explain more about that situation next chapter. Right now it's a crazy thing for him to attempt. There's two rescue plans in motion. Who will be more successful?**

**Tune in next time and find out! This is a major turning point in the story.**


	26. Chapter 26

**disclaimer: don't own Toy Story**

**Hope you guys are still reading this...cause I'm still writing. Okay, we last left with two rescue plans happening. Andy's thinking of busting them outta here!**

Escape in Motion

Cole gaped at him as if he had suddenly lost it. Andy couldn't blame him. He was starting to wonder the same thing. It was ridiculous to try something like that after getting caught for sneaking into Warrick's office. But he couldn't help trying the idea. He felt this place was starting to suffocate him and he had to get out.

"Are...are you insane! You're going to try and escape?"

"Not just me. I said all of us are getting out of here, tonight," Andy answered with great confidence.

"Tonight!" he whispered loudly. "After the stunt you pulled tonight?"

"Wha..how did you know about that?" Andy asked, raising a suspicious brow at him. "You were asleep."

"I was pretending. I heard you and that bear talking."

Andy stood from his position and walked over to the cage door. He peered out at the darkened room and tried to imagine the best way to free them from their imprisonment. With toys all around, it was impossible, just as the kids believed it was.

"Look, whatever you're planning, it isn't going to work," Cole insisted.

"We won't know until we try. Look, I've been here long enough to see how things go. At this hour of the night there aren't that many toys patroling us. See for yourself."

Cole stepped over to his cage door and looked out. The only toy parading up and down before tem was a tall white and black stormtrooper with weapon in hand.

"So? Just because there's one toy here doesn't mean there's none no where else. And besides that, how did you expect to get us all out of here?"

Andy was quiet for a moment. Cole made logical sense. He would have told himself the same thing if he wasn't so eager to leave. Even if he did manage to stop that one toy, how was he going to sneak the thirty something kids out of the warehouse without being seen? He wondered if it would be better to escape on his own and try to get help for the others. But he had no idea where he was or how difficult it might be to get that help. It would be better to wait, then again he had no idea what might be in store for him after what he did tonight. But even if he did attempt their escape, there was still the big problem of their _small_ size. He had broken one possible cure and had no idea where the rest of it was, or if there was even anymore.

At the moment, Andy felt it would be best just to get the kids away and perhaps come back on his own for the cure, or try calling for help again.

"I know how impossible it seems Cole. I've experienced a lot of impossible things in the last couple of days, and I'm not afraid to go for any more. We just can't sit around and let them do this to us."

"But, if they catch us, we could be..._stilled._"

There was that threat again. Some form of punishment Andy knew nothing about and was afraid to know.

"I don't plan on getting caught to find out what that means. I've successfully called the cops, which means we can successfully get out of here."

Cole made to argue again, but closed his mouth. Apparetnly he thought it was pointless to argue with someone so stubborn. Andy studied all around the darkening room as if an idea was hidden somewhere in the dark. Then out of the corner of his eye, he saw an unexpected form of help. Just at the end of the hall, making his way along pass the caged kids was Mr. Wuzzles.

Andy felt a great wave of relief which was quickly coated with guilt. How could he possibly ask for his help again? They had been caught and there was no telling what the wizard might do to him; or had already done. Nonetheless he would give it a shot and hopefully Mr. Wuzzles would be brave enough to come to his aide.

"Hey! Psst! Mr. Wuzzles!" he whispered loudly when he got close enough. After several more calls, Mr. Wuzzles finally looked across the row of cages toward him. Andy believed Warrick might have really done something to him as he looked a lot more depressed than he did when he first saw him. Andy wanted to say something, but couldn't. All he could do was stare. Mr. Wuzzles stared back, then he turned and walked away.

"Hey, wait! Please! Mr. Wuzzles!" But it was no use. Mr. Wuzzles had turned his back on him. Andy couldn't blame him. Why would he want to go through the trouble of helping him again. Andy dropped his head in defeat. He was their last hope to get out of here. Now what were they going to do? Though he wasn't looking at Cole, he knew what he was thinking. That he had been right.

But then he heard the sound of wheels rolling. He looked up to see Mr. Wuzzles rolling the staircase up to his cage. There was still a chance he would help them. Andy waited patiently as he climbed up the stairs. When he made it to the top, he looked down below at the marching stormtrooper.

"Mr. Wuzzles, I-"

"Andy, I can't really talk to you.."

"I know I know. I just wanted to say I'm sorry for getting you caught. I just, we really have to get out of here," Andy informed him.

Mr. Wuzzled rubbed his paws together nervoulsy. "I..I understand."

"That wizard didn't do anything bad to you did he?"

"Well, not yet. Andy, I have to go, I can't.."

"I know, I don't want you to get into anymore trouble. Which is why I'm having a hard time admiting why I called you over. I was hoping you'd help us again."

"Help...us?" he asked, confused.

"Yeah, help all of us," said Andy as he gestured at all the kids. "I want to get them all out of here."

For a moment, all Mr. Wuzzles could do was gawk. From his position below them Cole looked from Andy to the bear. He could tell the bear was thinking Andy was as nuts as he did. Mr. Wuzzles looked down at his pouch.

"But I..I can't possibly cart them all out of here in my-"

"Well, I wasn't thinking of an escape like that. There's got to be some crack in this place where I can get them safely out of this prison."

"And then,...what about your, size?"

Andy closed his eyes in brief thought. "I haven't thought of that part yet. I just want to get them out of here. Can you help us?"

Mr. Wuzzles turned from him to consider it, then he closed his eyes as if he were in pain and slowly shook his head.

"I'm, I'm sorry Andy. I can't."

Andy too turned away in disappointment. Cole, who had been watching and feeling somewhat hopeful that the bear would help them out, walked over to his pile of cloths and sat down. Andy looked back up at the bear and gave him a small smile.

"It's all right Mr. Wuzzles. You were a big help to me earlier, and like I said, I wouldn't want to get you into anymore trouble. I'll find another way out."

Mr. Wuzzles seemed to cringe at the compliment, as guilt rose up from his refusal to help the boy. After several nervous rubs of his paws, he turned to his pouch and unzipped it.

"I may not, can help you, but maybe this...can," said Mr. Wuzzles as he pulled out the bent paper clip. Andy beamed at the sight of it. Good old Mr. Wuzzles; he was terrified to do anything more for him, yet he pushed himself to do something if it would help his old owner's son. He was just as loyal as Woody. Mr. Wuzzles quickly fitted the end into the lock and turned it. He glanced over his shoulder to make sure the stormtrooper hadn't caught on. He was down at the far end of the cages. A small preschool cop toy had passed by and was conversing with the stormtrooper. Mr. Wuzzles quickly twisted the clip while he was busy. There was a click.

"There now, You're-" said Mr. Wuzzles.

"Wuzzles!" the stormtrooper suddenly called. Mr. Wuzzles froze instantly and Andy ducked down. Slowly Mr. Wuzzles turned his head in the direction of the guard. He didn't say anything more. He only raised a finger and beckoned him to come. Mr. Wuzzles gulped.

"I have to go," he muttered.

"I...Mr. Wuzzles," Andy cried desperately. He didn't know what to say. He wasn't sure if he had been caught helping him again. Mr. Wuzzles bent down and left the paper clip near the outside of his door.

"If you...insist on freeing them, go that way, along the walls," he whispered with a hint from the point of his paw. It was the opposite end of the hallway from where the stormtrooper stood. He kept his head bowed as he climbed down the stairs. Andy crawled closer to the door. He still didn't know what to say or how to express his gratitude.

"Mr. Wuzzles...I,"he paused for a second before continuing. "Thanks."

He couldn't be sure that Mr. Wuzzles heard had heard him, but he felt he might already understand how much he appreciated his help. And for that reason Andy could not look away from the bear. When he made it to the floor, he rolled the stairs away, then slowly headed up the hall to meet the guard. Andy didn't know why, but he had a bad feeling about his departure. He couldn't help feeling he might not see him again, but deep down he knew that was just nerves.

The bear stopped in front of the stormtrooper, who merely pointed down the hall Andy had been carted down while heading for Warrick's office. Mr. Wuzzles nodded and left Andy's sight. Andy released a breath he didn't know he was holding. He heard the stormtrooper heading back down the hall.

Cole, who had watched the whole exchange in awe, seemed ready to burst with a jumble of mixed emotions.

"Are you crazy!" he cried in a loud whisper. "You can't..you just can't-"

"I have to try," Andy told him, his eyes now following the gaurd as he was coming back. "You want to get out of here don't you?"

"Well yeah, but."

"He's coming," he whispered urgently. Andy laid himself down near the door. Cole hurried back over to his pile and laid down. The only sound vibrating in the warehouse seemed to be the steps of the stormtrooper as he passed. Andy's eyes followed him closely as he moved past them. When he was a few steps away, Andy stood up and slowly opened the door. Since he didn't have the use of the stairs, he simply climbed down the side of the cage. He landed as gently as he could on the floor. Cole approached his door again where Andy stood on the outside.

"You're really going to do this aren't you," he whispered nervously.

"I sure am," he whispered back. He turned away. As quickly and quietly as he could, he snuck up behind the stormtrooper. Andy only had a few seconds to study the backing of the toy. It was made to open in case the owner needed to get was his only option to stop him. Hopefully pulling out the batteries would stop him. The stormtrooper made it to the end of the cages before he stopped, feeling that something was amiss. Before he could learn what it was, Andy grabbed him and reached for his panel. The stormtrooper dropped his gun and struggled to reach Andy. Andy had already opened the panel and found not double A's inside, but wires. He didn't know anything about rewiring toys, so he simply grabbed them all and pulled. As far as he knew, Warrick had exchanged his battery department for electricity; there was no telling what the trooper would have been capable of with the update. He would never know as a few sparks shot out and the trooper's struggling slowed. Just as the trooper was about to resort to calling for help, he shut down. Andy lowered him into a sitting position on the floor. His slumped form made him appear asleep.

He turned and hurried to Cole's cage. He wasted no time in working the lock with the paperclip.

"Andy! You! I can't believe you just-"

"Just trust me on this," he said as calmly as he could. "And when I free you, start rousing everybody up. I told you we're getting out of here." Once the lock clicked, Andy quickly opened the door. Cole hesitated. He merely stared back at Andy.

"Well come on, what are you waiting for?" Andy demanded.

"I..I can't do this," Cole cried fearfully. "What if, what if we get caught?"

Andy paused and studied him carefully. He had been here for six months. With six months of mistreatment, it had become all he'd come to know now and stepping out of it must come as a shock. Andy hadn't been here as long as the others, and he wasn't as young as they were. He hadn't expected how great their fear of living toys would be. he had been lucky. The first living toys he met were good friends.

Andy stepped up to him and knelt down to his level.

"Listen Cole, I know you're scared. I'm scared too, but if we don't do this now there's no telling what's going to happen to us the longer we stay here. All of you have families that miss you, so we need to get back to them."

Cole hesitated before nodding and stepping out of the cage.

"Alright."

Andy nodded and proceeded to the next cage while Cole went about rousing the kids who hadn't woken from their sleep. _'I hope this works,'_ Andy prayed to himself. _'Please let it work'._ He could be endangering a bunch of innocent kids if they were caught, yet, they would be further endangered if they remained.

Woody grumbled with great annoyance as he threw aside screws, nails, nuts and other assortments of tool gadgets from a box. He smacked it, irritated, then looked all around to see if there was any place that he missed. Woody and the rest of Andy's toys were still in Warrick's work room. Warrick had long since convinced the police that there was nothing suspicious about him. Of course they hadn't known the reason for the police invasion until they entered his home and started a quick search of the rooms. Warrick and the police had talked in hushed voices in other parts of the room which left the mystery of their visit with the toys. But Woody didn't care about the reason for their visit. He cared about getting to Andy. Now that the police were gone and Warrick had left to his bedroom, Woody was free to continue his search; but he was quickly becoming impatient.

"There's got to be some around here somewhere," he cried.

"I don't see why he'd bother Woody," said Hamm. He was standing off to the side next to Mr. Spell, Rocky Gibaltar, Rex and Mr. Potato Head. Buzz and Slinky and Trolley were helping with the search by looking in various boxes. "He knows that we can talk, he won't bother to get batteries."

"The little pig is right you know," said Trolley. "Warrick hardly ever bothers with batteries. If...if we need something like that...he'll, he'll create his own power, like with wires and stuff."

"But Rc still needs batteries," said Rex. "How else is he going to make it all the way to the warehouse?"

"Perhaps another vehicle could be of service," said Buzz hopefully as he looked all around. The red truck on the desk sneered in defense.

"Oh no," he warned them. "You're not draggin another one of us toys into you're troubles. Trolley! You should be ashamed. Do you have any idea what Warrick would do to you if he knew you were doing this? Why, he'd get rid of you. We'd all be gotten rid of if he were to get into trouble."

At the last bit of information, all the toys around the shelves cringed and shivered in fear. They immediately started to converse with one another about the situation.

"Well a lot good you're all doing sitting in this room, when there's kids being taken from their homes!" Woody yelled. The red truck glared and made to say something when Slinky cut in.

"Woody, I don't think we're going to find any batteries in here."

"It's unlikely," Trolly admitted.

"We could try another room," Mr. Potato Head.

"Ooohh we don't have time for this. Andy's in trouble and we're wasting time trying to find double A's."

"We could stop at Andy's and get some," Rex advised. "He always has batteries on hand."

"That will take more time!" Woody cried, exasperated.

"We have no choice," said Buzz. "We can't waste anymore time here."

Woody sighed. "I guess you're right."

Buzz nodded, then out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of a fairly large black jeep toy. Like Rc, his face was formed out of his car parts; the headlights being his green eyes and the grill serving as a mouth. "And as I said eariler. Another vehicle would be helpful."

Andy turned the paperclip for what felt like the hundreth time as he freed the last child from her cage. Emily Mills quietly stepped out and looked at him with large frightened eyes. Andy mustered up an encouraging smile.

"It's okay. You're alright now, come on," he coaxed as he held out a hand. After a second of hesitation, she took it and allowed him to lead her out. She faced the rest of Warrick's captives who stood behind Andy, looking about nervously and trembling with worry. None of them seemed to be the least bit confident in being freed; particularly by a teenager boy who'm many of them believed had no business telling them what to do. That was the role of an adult, or Warrick's toys.

Andy threw the paper clip aside and looked around at his group. There were thirty something kids here that he had to lead to freedom; the only problem was he didn't know exactly how he was going to do it. They all looked at him expectantly.

"Okay guys, we're gonna get out of here now."

"But how?" asked a small, blonde haired boy.

_'That's a good question,'_ he thought. He looked in the direction Mr. Wuzzles had disappeared. He had insisted they go the other way. Andy assumed they'd have less of a chance running into toys if they headed that way. He'd keep they to the shadows of the wall and lead them out of the closest exit; whether that be a crack or a mouse hole.

He turned back to his group and tried to muster as much confidence as he could, for their sake.

"Very carefully guys. So follow me and keep quiet," Andy told them. "Now come on."

He motioned them to follow. In a thick line, they trailed behind him as close as they could. Many of them had taken notice of Andy's positive attitude and were inspired by it, but deep down they were still scared. If Andy allowed his true feelings to be expressed on his face, they would have realized he was the most scared of all.

**As Andy marked last time, it's crazy for him to attempt another stunt in the same night. It would be more logical if he tried it the next night. But keep in mind, Andy's on a time limit. He has to get back before mom does. And Woody and the others couldn't delay their search for Andy another day in order for Andy to try the escape another day. But that nightmare should be enough of a motivation for Andy. Besides that, I think we're all eager to get out of the warehouse!**

**Andy busted the kids out of their cages, but will he be able to bust them out of the warehouse? Will Woody and the others find those batteries for Rc?**

**[Due tune in for the next chapter, although I feel I should say that the next one is going to be very very dark. Early warning, but do keep reading and keep sending in those reviews!]**


	27. Chapter 27

**disclaimer: I do not own TS**

**I updated ASAP! lol. Hang in there guys! Andy's hoping to lead them all to freedom; but it won't be so simple! **

**As I mentioned at the end of the previous chapter, this one is dark. It contains a pretty violent scene towards the end. (Sorry about that. I know it's going to sky rocket your emotions in a number of ways. Well probably just one main way. )**

Shreds of Tears

Jessie sat with her fingers against her face as she stared down at the board with a quirked brow. There was a good move she could make with her red checker that could garuntee her win, but that of course depended on the next move of her partner. After a few more minutes of hesitation, she made her move with much confidence.

"Ha, how about that!" she challenged.

Bullseye studied her move and wagged his tail just a bit. He didn't give the next move much thought as he stepped onto the board and pushed one of his black checkers on a square. It was just the move Jessie was looking for. In an instant, she grabbed her king and knocked out the last of Bullseye's pieces with a tripple jump.

"Yee-haw! Well if that don't beat all," she cried excitedly. "I've never been much for checkers, but I think I'll be looking into it more often."

Bullseye, however, was less enthusiastic as he hung his head in shame. Jessie's grin quickly faded as she walked over to console him.

"Oh, it's all right Bullseye. You haven't been playin' checkers for that long, but I betcha with a little more practise, you'll be beatin' me."

Bullseye looked up hopefully, then he wagged his tail and started licking her face. Jessie laughed at her four legged companion. She was glad they had found something to keep her mind off the situation of their owner. Not having any news easily kept her on edge. But she couldn't afford to stay so worried. She had promised Andy she would look after the house and others, and if she was going to take the lead for a while, she had to be strong.

Bullseye settled down and stepped back. Jessie scratched his head, but her momentary happiness was starting to fall. They had been gone far too long it seemed, which only meant one thing. Something had gone wrong, she just knew it. Her worry must have shown as Bullseye gentle prodded her with his nose. She looked down and him and forced a smile.

"I'm all right Bullseye. Just a little worried is all," she admitted to him. "I hope Andy's all right, and Woody...and, Buzz." She couldn't imagine anything bad happening to the space ranger. But deep down she knew he was a tough toy, capable of looking after himself and the others.

Suddenly, the sound of a flap opening from far off shook her out of her thoughts. She jumped, as did Bullseye.

"What was that?" she asked out loud.

The noise had also riled the other toys in the room as they started to gather together.

"It sounded like it came from downstairs," said Andy's super-hero action figure.

"Oh dear," cried Bo as her sheep gathered near. "You don't think someone's broke in do you?"

"It can't be," said Jessie. "The noise wasn't that loud. I guess, I guess I'd better have a look, being as I am left in charge." After a brief hesitation, she crossed the room and peaked out the doorway. There was no sign that someone had entered. Her best chance to find out for sure was to go further down. If anything, it was Buzz and the others, coming back from helping Andy. She took several steps down the stairs, then paused as she saw the cause of the noise. Buster's dogdoor had been forced open. And coming in from the otherside was Buzz. A huge grin spread across Jessie's face. He was okay. She quickly ducked back into the room.

"It's okay everybody, I think Woody and the others have returned!"

The toys exchanged hopeful looks as Jessie turned away and hurried down the stairs. Woody had made his way through just as Jessie made it to the bottom.

"Buzz! Woody! You're back. I was just starting to worry."

"Well you can keep worrying because we're not out of this yet," Woody confessed.

"Huh? What do you mean?" she asked, frowning. "And where's the rest of the fellas?"

"Outside," Buzz explained. "We just stopped here to pick up some batteries."

"Batteries?"

"Come on Buzz, we don't have time to lose!" Woody said hurriedly as he made for the stairs. Buzz quickly ran up behind him.

"Well hold on," said Jessie as she too fell in line. "What's this about batteries? And where's Andy?"

"Andy's been kidnapped," Buzz groaned.

"Kidnapped!" Jessie gasped. "Oh no. By who?"

"That, wizard's owner!" Woody said angrily.

"But why woud he-"

"We don't have time to explain," Woody continued. "We've got a long journey ahead of us and we need the battery power for Rc."

"Rc? How did-?" She was cut off again as they made it to the top. The other toys gasped in surprise at their arrival. Instantly they started trying to question them at once.

"Woody, you've returned from your mission," said Sarge.

"Did it work? Did you help Andy?" asked Bo.

"Not yet Bo. The only thing we came for is double A batteries."

"Batteries?" asked a scaly toy snake.

"We have no time to explain," said Buzz. "We're in a hurry."

"Up there!" said Sarge, pointing to Andy's dresser. "Andy always keeps extra power uptop."

Woody quickly dashed over to the dresser and proceeded to climb up using the knobs. The others gathered together and watched. Jessie quickly stepped up to Buzz.

"Buzz, what is going on? What's happenin' with Andy and where are you going that you need batteries?"

Buzz turned to her and sighed. The last thing he wanted to do was worry her and the others. He and Woody were barely holding it together at the moment. But Jessie had put him on the spot and the others were coming up to get the information as well.

"Andy's been taken to Warrick's warehouse. It's several miles from where we are," Buzz explained.

"But how could Andy have been kidnapped?"

"We got separated during the journey, that's how. We traveled to Warrick's to see if he made it there, but that's when we ran across Rc and a few of Andy's other toys. We learned from Warrick and his toys where Andy was being kept."

"But, I still don't understand," said Jessie, more confused then ever. "Why would he take Andy?"

Woody jumped down from the dresser with an armful of four double A batteries.

"We told you, there's no time to explain. Come on Buzz."

"Right."

"Oh Woody!" Bo called out. "Please be careful. And bring Andy back safely."

Woody smiled and tipped his hat. "You can count on me ma'am. Let's go Buzz."

Buzz was just about to follow Woody out of the door when Jessie grabbed his arm and held him back.

"If Andy's in trouble, then you're going to need another hand to help him."

"We do have another hand with us, six of them."

"I mean me, and Bullseye," she explained as the horse trotted closer, "want to help."

"I know you do, but it'll be too dangerous."

Jessie gave him a wry smile. "What's a little danger Buzz. I've been through it before. Don't you have faith that I can help?"

Her soft look was enough to melt Buzz into shame. If anyone knew anything about Jessie's courage, it was him. And besides that, she could be right about needing an extra hand. There was no telling what awaited them at Warrick's warehouse.

"I do have faith in you Jessie. You're the...bravest cowgirl I know," he admitted with slight embarassement.

Jessie chuckled. "I'm the only cowgirl you know, now let's do this. Come on Bullseye." She grabbed ahold of Buzz's arm and pulled him through the door. Bullseye hurried after them.

He was expecting an alarm bell to sound off, or a cry like "PRISONER ESCAPE!". But it was all so quiet. It was as if the whole place was empty, but Andy knew it wasn't so as he continued to lead the kids to freedom. They stayed closed to the walls and moved quickly, yet slowly so not to make any noise. Shadows were their cover, but all the time, he kept thinking about the possibility of some toy that may not be asleep. The thought stayed on his mind so heavily that he kept thinking the best thing to do would be to turn back around; lead the children back to their cages. But how could he possibly do any such thing? They were trusting him enough to get them out of here. He couldn't possibly turn them back around and say he couldn't do it; that they would not be able to go home. Now he understood why they had been so reluctant to follow.

_'If only Woody were here'_, he thought bitterly to himself. He felt like a kid again, needing his cowboy doll. But since finding out he was alive, he would have appreciated his help. Andy shook his head. He wasn't coming. He didn't know where they were, and even if he did he probably wouldn't...

"No," he whispered to himself. "It's not true."

He refused to let Marvelo's words have an impact on him. He couldn't think that Woody didn't care about him and wouldn't come to his aide; he just couldn't.

"What's not true?" asked Cole, who was traveling next to him.

"N-nothing. Keep your voice down," Andy whispered to him.

"But where are we going?" he asked in a lower voice.

Andy couldn't answer that one. He just hoped they'd come across some kind of opening. If anything, he thought he could hide them somewhere then sneak off to find another cure. But he had to keep in mind that he had about thirty kids to look after. Sneaking them out or hiding them in a place like this with hundreds of Warrick's toy creations milling about was next to impossible. He was sure the dogs in that disney movie didn't have as much trouble when they snuck out ninety-nine dalmatians from Cruella's mansion. At least there wasn't ninety-nine kids in the warehouse; or so he thought.

"Cole, you sure this is all of you? All the kidnapped kids?" Andy asked.

Cole nodded. "Why?"

"Well I'd hate to have to sneak out any more of you."

"I'd hate to have us get caught."

They kept going, for what felt like hours. Andy kept looking around behind him to make sure no one had been left behind or they had been spotted. It was going good so far. They were now passing the play area. Right now doors closed it off. Andy supposed the toys slept there at night. He quickly moved them past the area.

As he continued, he patted along the walls, squinting in the dark to see if he could see and feel any weaknesses in the structure that led to the outside. Andy grumbled to himself as he moved. The walls were solid. He gulped as his fear began to rise higher. If there were no breaks in the walls, and not so much as a mouse hole, how were they going to escape?

Andy thought there may be some way through Warrick's office, but leading them all there was such a risk; and he hated to leave them behind.

"All right, we're going to cross the hall," Andy told them.

"What?" Cole squeaked. "What if-"

"We'll be fine. There's no one around. Come on."

There were a few exchanged looks of fear, but the kids followed nonetheless. They were now passing down a hall between the outside of the play area and another larger room that was a storage area. As far as Andy could recall, Warrick's office should be down the left at the end. Andy was practically holding his breath. It was critical that not a sound be heard. Andy looked back around and was met with very pale faces. He just couldn't risk their exposure.

He turned to the storage area which was wide and doorless. He held out an arm for them to stop as he took a brief moment to study the interior. It was so dark it was almost impossible to see anything within. But from what Andy could make out, it was empty. Nothing in there but extra play things and obstacles for the play room. Andy turned and faced his crew, hoping he was right for what he was about to tell them.

"All right gang. I want you all to slip in here and hide, but stay together."

"Why?" asked a small dark haired girl, who was shaking from head to toe. "Are you...leaving us?"

"Just for a second. I'm coming right back, I promise. Now go, hurry."

They hesitated a minute before following the order. The only one who hadn't moved was Cole.

"Go on Cole, get in there," Andy ordered.

"What about you?"

"I'll be fine."

"What if we get caught?"

"Don't worry. I'm coming right back. I'm going to find something that can help us."

Cole paused before hurrying in with the others. Once he was sure that they were safely hidden, he hurried down the hall. He stopped when he reached the end as he heard voices. Carefully he peaked around the corner. There was no sign of Warrick or any of his toys about. He did, however, see a light from Warrick's office up ahead, as well as several shadows coming out of it.

He knew it was stupid, to step around from the corner and head toward the office, but one of the voices had caught him off guard. It was frightened and weak, but it was also desperate.

"I.I..I..I'm s-sorry. Sorry," it said.

He was sure he knew who it was as he got even closer. He kept trying to convince himself that he should get back to the kids, but if there were this many toys still awake, they wouldn't have a chance to get out of here. So far, there was no way out, and that victim of that shaky voice needed help.

Andy kept on until he was just outside the doorframe. Once again, he peaked around. He barely prevented himself from gasping. Inside, spread out on the floor was the G.I Joe, T-Bone, the one-eyed rabbit Jack, Pinky and some kind of lizard man in a black suit. They were looking up at Warrick's desk where the victim of the nervous voice stood-Mr. Wuzzles. He was shaking from head to toe as he faced Marvelo. On Marvelo's side was the cop that had called Mr. Wuzzles, a stormtrooper (this one painted a light shade of blue), and a plastic godzilla like dino in purple pants. He stared down at the bear with menacing red eyes. It was too much for Wuzzles as he took a small step back.

"S-s-sorry is no excuse," Marvelo teased as he impersonated his fear. "It was a foolish action on your behalf. Luckily Wendal was able to talk himself out of getting arrested."

"Well I uh, then, there's no problem," reasoned the bear.

"Oh, but there is," Marvelo sneered, as a smile crept across his face. "You, are the problem." A few of the wizard's henchman chuckled softly. Pinky prodded the rabbit as if he knew what was coming.

"M-me?"

"Yes, you," Marvelo continued. He then started to walk toward him while the bear stepped back. "Mr. Wuzzles. I, that is, we have given you ample time to find comfort among this family and have _fun_ with the children."

He stopped his stalking as Mr. Wuzzles had reached the edge of the table. From behind the door, Andy swallowed nervously. He wanted so desperately to run in there, grab Mr. Wuzzles and make a break for it. But he had thirty abandoned kids to think about. Now that he knew this many toys were up, particularly the wizard, he knew saving the kids was out of the question. He could have kicked himself for the attempt, but it was too late now. The best thing to do was return to them. But it was hard to simply walk away. He had promised to take Mr. Wuzzles out of here. He couldn't leave him behind after he risked so much to help him.

"Are you not having,...fun?"

Mr. Wuzzles shifted from one foot to the other and stared down at his paws which he rubbed together in a nervous manner.

"I..I I..have had fun," he started slowly. He looked away from his attackers and to the floor. "With my old owner, Anthony."

The toys on the floor looked at one another, confused. The toys behind Marvelo also exchanged a few looks. Marvelo had not reacted at all. He merely took notice that the bear's droopy expression seemed to lift at the mention of his owner's name.

"Ahh, we had some, wonderful times," he reminisced. Then Mr. Wuzzles started to chuckle. Apparently he was thinking of one of those wonderful times, but he didn't share it. He looked up at Marvelo and his expression darkened. Marvelo stiffened at his sudden courage. "I know what _fun_ is, with a child. And, the kind of fun that we have here, isn't. It's...it's not fair. They should, be having fun, too."

"But my dear Mr. Wuzzles they are having fun," the wizard reasoned in a sickening patronizing tone. "You were just too senile to see it. You're decades old. All the sense and stuffing has left you. And for that reason, not to mention your earlier intrusion, I believe I'll have to do what your owner should have done with you years ago." He raised his fingers and snapped.

On the floor, the G.I Joe, Jack and T-Bone walked over to the wall near the door. Andy pulled away just in time. He held his breath and didn't make a sound. That action alone made him realize how fast his heart was pounding. That terrible feeling he'd had at Mr. Wuzzles' departure, returned.

He heard the souund of something dragging. Slowly he peaked around. The toys were pushing a large machine near the edge of the table. Within seconds, Andy realized what it was. All the air in his lungs left him in an instant.

Suddenly, there was a tap on his shoulder from behind. Andy nearly jumped three feet in the air. He whirled around and was shocked to see Cole.

"Andy, wha-"

He didn't have time to finish as Andy quickly covered his mouth and pulled him around in front of him. He then motioned for him to be silent as he turned back to Warrick's office. Cole also peaked around to see.

Mr. Wuzzles took notice of the new object. All the fear he had pushed aside while talking to the wizard, returned with a powerful force. He backed away from the edge and kept walking until he bumped into Marvelo. The wizard placed his hands on the bear's shoulder and guided him back to the edge. He had a wide grin on his face, as if Christmas had come tonight. Inside, Andy was fuming; or at least he wanted too, but he was just too horrified by the scene to feel enough anger. He felt numb as he stared at the mystical toy in disbelief. In the time he had learned from his own toys that their kind loved kids and respected one another, he could never believe that a toy could be as cruel as humans could be. Talking with Woody and the gang, before he knew anything about this kidnapping plot, made him feel that toys were a lot more carefree and considerate. But here was an example showing him that it was definately not true for all toys. He had been told that when his toys told him how Jessie came to be his. But right now, the Prospector paled in comparison to the wizard.

For Mr. Wuzzles' sake, he hoped he was wrong. That Marvelo was just trying to frighten the bear.

"Please,...please," Mr. Wuzzles begged. "I..I won't do it, I won't do it. Not again! Not again, please!"

"I would love to spare you by allowing you to have another chance to, feel that enjoyment of playtime here. I would have liked you to have it with your new friend Andy. Or as you've called him, you're owner's son. But apparently the past has too much of a hold on you for you to be able to move, forward."

"But, but.."

"We're moving forward," he said in a quiet and pleasant sounding tone. Mr. Wuzzles hovered over the horrible object below. "But you're, not." He gave a nodd to the toys below. The G.I Joe took the cord and moved across the room to plug it in. The Jack flipped a switch ontop and in an instant the room was filled with the terrible sound of grinding and humming; a mechanical monstrosity come to life. Mr. Wuzzles shook more than ever as he watched the many blades go round and round on the horrizontal pole. He reached out for Marvelo, clinging to his arm desperately.

"Oh please! No..You Can't!" he begged desperately. If he could cry, the tears would be pouring. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I...I take it back. I don't mean no, harm. I don't mean...I..I d-"

"Save your breath," said Marvelo who wasn't the least bit moved. He pulled off the bear's paws and dusted the place where he had grabbed him. "You know how it goes. This is crime and punishment. You've done the crime. Time for your punishment."

Mr. Wuzzled could do nothing but stare down at his possible doom.

"But, Mr...Warrick..What'll he say?"

If possible, Marvelo's smile widened further. "He'll say, goodbye Mr. Wuzzles."

He didn't feel the hand push into him. He didn't see where he was headed. Then next thing Mr. Wuzzles saw was the ceiling coming into view as his view of the wizard slipped down. He was falling backwards. Floating slowly in a way. His face frozen in an anguised cry. Mr. Wuzzles was falling, but he wasn't the only one. Andy was falling too. His heart was sinking. He no longer heard the shredder; he only heard the silence. He felt as if his heart had stopped and time was moving slowly.

Reality only returned when Mr. Wuzzles' decent ended and he made contact. The humming, the grinding was temporarily muffled by the impact of the soft plush that settled onto the blades. No time was wasted as it devoured the offering like a hungry beast. bits of fur and pieces of stuffing flew into the air like confetti.

Andy stared transfixed by the sight. He felt a tug from Cole, but he couldn't look away. The boy was postioned in front of Andy so there was no way he could see what was happening in the room. However, he did get the idea as he watched the shadows on floor depicting the horror inside. The blades kept grinding, not the least bit weakened by the thread and stuffing that one would expect to stop up the blades. It was big and wide enough to completely erase the poor toy from existence. Above the scene, Marvelo chuckled at the gruesome sight. Days ago, a toy being ripped to pieces would not have fazed Andy; he wouldn't have registered the stuffing as the guts essential to its life, but now it was different.

Mr. Wuzzles had been alive.

And now he had been brutally murdered.

**:( ...aw, we should have a brief moment of silence to remember poor Mr. Wuzzles. His sacrifice was great. He risked himself for the sake of Andy and all the other kids. He was a very very old and tired toy. Marvelo wasn't going to let him get away with helping Andy, but it was still a vicious act. Marvelo always knew about Wuzzles' feelings about the matter and he was done with it. There's never been murders in the Toy Story world, unless you count the toys Sid blew up. But this was a toy doing the destroying. I know that amplifies your hate for the wizard. With his time in the warehouse, Andy's learned a great many things in connection with growing up. Evilness such as murder is one of them. **

**Man, I can't believe we've gotten to this scene already.**

**In other news, Jessie and Bullseye have joined the team! Yay! If we're dealing with murdering toys like Marvelo, Andy's going to need all the help he can get! As he admitted himself, he doesn't believe it's possible to get the kids out of there. But,..is there still a chance?**

**One way to find out! **

**The next chapter. yet again I feel I should say the next one has its dark moment!**


	28. Chapter 28

**Discaimer: I don't own Toy Story**

**Hmm, I looked at the update on the last chapter and realized it's been a while since I updated. In a way, I slightly forgot, but my interest in writing is not going to stop this story from ending. We are getting to the end, though we have several more chapters to go. So please stick with me!**

**As I last recall, we last left with tears for the murder of poor Mr. Wuzzles. I wasn't sure how the reaction to that would be. I mean I loved Mr. Wuzzles too, but it was a great sacrifice for the story. Sorry he had to go like that. For the Toy Story world, the death of a character would be a major move (if this was a movie, but you are to read it that way; a PG rated movie). Andy's out in the open with thirty kids and there's toys all about! What's Andy gonna do?**

**warning: yet another one. This one directed at any of you who've got a phobia of **_**needles.**_

Still

Jack hopped over to the shredder and flipped the button. The humming and grinding slowly died down, and after a few seconds, the blades stilled. Then the rabbit and the rest of the toys on the floor moved the shredder back into place. Marvelo clasped his hands together and rubbed them, satisfied. He looked down at the floor, now sprinkled with bits of stuffing that looked like snow.

"At last, we are rid of that annoying bear," said Marveleo in a pleasant voice.

"You didn't confirm this with Warrick sir," said the cop.

"Wuzzles won't be missed. He never paid much attention to that saggy excuse for a plush." Marvelo crossed the table then hopped down to the chair nearby.

Andy leaned against the side of the wall. He was now completely turned away from the scene, but his heart was still pounding against his chest. He tried to slow his breathing as he continued his tight hold on Cole who was still positioned in front of him. He could feel the boy trembling, and even hear his quiet sobs. If they got any louder they would alert the toys inside, but Andy couldn't blame him for his tears. He knew they weren't so much for the memory of the bear; he had not known Mr. Wuzzles. But seeing something so gruesome, even though it was done to a toy, still left him very shaken. These toys were as real as people to all the kids present. And now they had just proved that they could be as cruel as humans.

Andy hated hearing Cole sob. It was starting to weaken his own feelings, and he couldn't afford to fall apart with Marvelo milling around and all of his prisoners freed. He had to get back to the kids and get them out of here; but after losing Mr. Wuzzles...it seemed like such a lost cause.

"Cole," he whispered in a shaky voice. "We have to-"

"_They killed him!" _he cried, astonished. "They killed...that poor bear."

Andy glanced down at him. So he was sobbing for the sake of Mr. Wuzzles. Cole looked at him with tears in his eyes.

"He...he was trying to help us."

"I know," said Andy, nodding.

"What if they do that to us!"

"Shh, shh, that's not gonna-"

"I want to go home," he begged.

Andy nodded and put a finger to his lips. He couldn't let escape be a lost cause. Not after Mr. Wuzzles' risked his life for it. Besides that, the next beings the wizard put through the shredder could be them like Cole had said. Cautiously he peaked back into the office. The toys were now gathering around Marvelo on the floor. Andy took Cole's hand and quickly lead him away. He stopped at the end of a corner and was now adjacent to the hall where he'd left the kids. All they had to do was run across into that hall and they'd be safe. Andy waited, holding onto Cole's hand tightly.

"Come on," Andy urged. He and Cole quickly ran across the hall, headed for the storage room. But unbeknownst to them, they had been seen, by the lizard man toy. He silently watched them with gleaming eyes as they ran out of sight. The corners of his mouth upturned.

Andy hurried to the storage area and stood just inside the doorway. He was out of breath and he knew it wasn't from running. He also realized for the first time that his legs were shaking. He hadn't realized how badly he was affected by the tragedy.

"Guys!," he whispered loudly. "It's me, Andy."

Slowly heads started to rise. When they saw it was really him, they headed over to him. Emily Mills gasped at the sight of him.

"What happened? Did something bad happen?"

Clearly they were seeing his frightened expression. He couldn't possibly share the details, nor could he afford to have them become even more scared. He shook his head.

"No...it's okay."

"What do we do now?" asked a very small brown haired girl. She had her arms wrapped around herself for security. Andy could very well tell a bear belonged in her arms; a normal sized one. Andy turned away from her and looked to the ground. Continuing with the plan of escape was extremely risky now, but they couldn't just sit here. He imagined it would be daylight soon, if it wasn't already, which meant that Warricks' toys would soon swarm the place again.

"We have to..keep going. Come on, follow me." He beckoned them out. All his confidence was gone. He had a good mind to lead the kids back to their entrapment, but his own desire to flee this place wouldn't let him. He headed them back down the hall, away from the direction of Warrick's office. He was just about to announce that they'd turn at the corner when a blarring ringing sounded off. One by one, more lights turned on to brighten the darkened room.

Suddenly overcome, the kids bowed down and covered their ears, as did Andy.

"What's that! What's happening?" cried Cole, panicked.

"Just what we feared would happen," Andy replied.

"What do we do now!" Emily screamed.

"RUN!"

There was nothing else for them to do except that. They had been caught and now Andy had them running like escaped convicts. There was nowhere for them to go, except back to the cages. As that thought quickly entered his mind, he could have sworn he heard one of the kids voice this suggestion. It was probably wiser. In fact, not leaving the cage was looking pretty smart. If anything were to happen to these kids because of him, he'd never forgive himself.

They had nearly made it to the end of the hall, when a large group of toys hurried to the end and blocked their way out. Andy skidded to a halt and held out his arms to stop the others. Sobs broke out, including a few screams and loud crying. Warrick's miniature troops stared at them like cops staring down busted crooks. Andy ushered them to hurry the other way, but before they could even run more than a foot, they had to stop again.

The alarm bell had stopped and Marvelo, along with his crew from the office were coming from the other direction. They were trapped, with no place to run except back into the storage room. But no sooner had he thought that did a few toys emerge from the area. This caused several of the kids to gasp. Already Andy had put them in danger by placing them in a place with their enemies. They must have been sleeping far off in the shadows. Andy backed up as they were closing in. He kept the kids behind him and his arms spread out in protection as he glared at them all. Even though his plan had failed, he was determined to keep their plush and plastic appendages off the children. Confidence had returned, which made him ready to give his life in defending them.

The crowd of toys were spread out around them, just in case Andy or any one of his group members decided to run. But from the looks on their faces they were done running.

"Well well well, you just can't seem to keep out of trouble can you Davis?" said Marvelo in chipper voice. "And all in one night. Just one. Most juveniles like yourself would have waited a few days before exposing their stupidity, but not you."

"I couldn't wait another night," Andy snarled through gritted teeth. "You guys are...are monsters!"

"Monsters?" questioned Marvelo indignantly. Then he looked around at the group of toys, spotting a few beastly creations. "Well, some of us are. They were made that way."

"I'm not talking about your looks! I'm talking about what you did to us! What you did, to Mr. Wuzzles."

At this remark the wizard quirked an eyebrow. Cole, who was clinging to Andy's side, tightened his grip on his shirt and stiffled a sob.

"You, saw that did you?"

"You bet I saw, and I know it's only a matter of time before you do the same to the rest of these toys!" Andy's declaration seemed to hit a nerve in the surrounding crowd. A few of them cringed, while others whispered the possibilities of Marvelo doing such a thing to them. Maravelo was scowling worse than ever. He stared at Andy as if he'd lit a match and instantly burned away all his plans. He growled, then snapped his fingers. Several of the toys moved toward Andy and without hesitation, began grabbing screaming children who made no real move to run. Andy cried out and fought against the attackers. There were too many of them. He couldn't get to all the kids in time.

"NO! Don't!" Andy cried. "It wasn't their fault! Don't hurt them! They didn't-"

"Of course they didn't you wicked boy!" Marvelo snapped. Jack hopped over and restrained Andy. He struggled against his plushy grip, but his paws were as strong as steel. Andy didn't know what Warrick had put in the bunny to make him so hard; all he knew was that a punch from him could knock him out cold for some time.

"No please!" Cole screamed as Pinky grabbed ahold of him. "He's going to still us Andy! I know it."

"Be quiet you silly boy. It's as your dear leader has said," Marvelo informed him as he gestured to Andy. "The fault lies with him, and him alone. Though I wouldn't claim you were left off the hook! What do you say, _An-dy_? What fitting punishment do these criminals deserve?"

"They don't..they deserve to go home! You can't keep us locked up like this," Andy cried. He felt his voice cracking which made him sound as if he were begging, but he didn't care.

"We were doing fine until you came along," the wizard reasoned. He then turned to the recaptured kids. "I don't understand it, I really don't. These toys have come to life for you! You get playtime everyday. No homework, no school, no chores. Fun time all around."

"Yeah, some fun," said Andy bitterly.

Marvelo turned to him. He was wearing his patience thin. As a matter of fact, his patience was gone.

"Dumbledore, sir!"

Marvelo didn't cringe this time as the familar annoying voice came to him. He was already fuming from Andy's escape attempt and his remarks. He didn't even bother to turn around as Harry Potter approached him, his spell book once again in his hands..

"Sir, I, sir, I was thinking about that toy remark you made to me. You know about you're saying I'm a, toy. Well, I suppose that bit's possible. It could be a curse of Voldemort's."

Not once did Marvelo glance at him. He was still staring down at Andy.

"Sir," Harry continued. When he realized he wasn't paying attention, he resorted to tugging on his sleeve. "Sir. I haven't found any activity on Voldemort, perhaps that's-"

"If you had any idea what most of these toys had been through," Marvelo growled at Andy, completely ignoring Harry's rambling. "What some of their owners-"

"What about Mr. Wuzzles!" Andy shouted. "Doesn't he count? How long before you shred the rest of your friends, you murderer?"

That had done it. "_Murderer_," he growled, as if it were the worst insult in the entire world.

"Murderer! You murdered Mr. Wuzzles! Is this the kind of leader you want to have!" he shouted to the crowd of toys.

"Sir, please. Voldemort could be on the move. And I haven't quite figured out yet if-"

In an instant Harry was silenced as he was sent to the floor by a vicious backhand from Marvelo. His glasses went flying across the floor, and his book tumbled out of his hand. The toys in the crowd backed away. Never before had they ever witnessed Marvelo striking another toy. Though they had not been surprised to learn about Mr. Wuzzles. They believed he would do such a thing as the laws around here were that strict for him. But Andy had brought up a very important point. Any one of them could be next. Mavelo could make shredding or dismantling toys that didn't live up to _his _expectations a daily process.

"A toy that murders toys!" Andy continued with his shouting. But Marvelo had already marched up to him. Without saying a word, he struck Andy across the face, immediately silencing any more accusations. Several of the kids gasped while others turned away. Andy slumped over from the blow, but the rabbit still had a grip on him to keep him from fallling to the ground. He tensed at the sting on his cheek. Who knew such a small plastic fist could hurt so much? He didn't say anything more, but he refused to let the wizard frighten him.

"You think you're so clever, don't you, boy," Marvelo whispered dangerously. Andy merely stared. He looked over at the kids, and Cole. Tears were running down his eyes and he was shaking worse than ever. What he wouldn't give to take it all back now. He couldn't stand how much this was terrorizing them. Cole had been right. Escape was impossible. _'I should have listened to you Cole. I'm sorry,'_ he thought bitterly. He hung his head, no longer able to face the wizard or the kids. Marvelo seemed to be shaking with anger. He wasn't sure if it was still from the stunt of the escape attempt, the remarks, or if it was a new wave of anger directed at Andy's inability to stand up to him again. The teen was now defeated. _'And he'll be even more defeated once I get through with him,' _he thought pleasantly.

"Take these beastly brats back to their cages," he ordered. Without a word, the toys began taking a child and shuffling them out of the area. Cole was a little more resistant as he was lead away. He couldn't help looking back at the boy who had tried to save them. He did not know if Andy would be meeting the same fate as poor Mr. Wuzzles.

"What about this one?" asked Jack in a gruff voice. Marvelo paused briefly as he stared down at him.

"It'll soon be morning. Take him back to his cage, for now."

By the time they were a couple of miles away from Andy's house, the night was slowly turning to morning. Woody hoped they'd arrive at the warehouse no later than after lunch. With the extra batteries for Rc at the ready, they'd have enough power to travel there and back. Woody sat behind the wheel of Rc with Buzz squeezed behind him, followed by Trolley. It was a tight fit, but they managed. Trolley kept his eyes alert as he directed them along a road that was barely visited by passing cars. Behind Rc was the large red jeep which carried Mr. Potato Head, Hamm, Rex and Slinky. Mr. Spell and Rocky Gibaltar had been left behind at Warrick's. They had refused to return as they fully believed Andy was done with them. But Woody had convinced them that Andy had changed. He saw them differently.

That left them to point out that Andy only felt that way because he learned they were alive. But Regardless of that belief, they did wish Woody the best with rescuing their old owner.

Woody felt it would be a great possibility when Jessie insisted on coming. She traveled behind the group on a galloping Bullseye. Woody and the others were certain Bullseye would tire too easily for such a long trip, but he had managed to impress them by keeping up with the vehicles. Clearly the idea of his recent owner being in danger fueled his energy. And with such a high spirit, Woody didn't think he'd really mind if they had to take a break for the horse to rest.

"Tell us more about this place Trolley," said Buzz suddenly. "Will we have difficulty entering?"

Trolley frowned as he considered the question. "Ah...I'm not sure. We shouldn't. It's been a...long time since I was there. If we pose as Warrick's new toys, we shouldn't have a problem."

"As Warrick's toys!" cried Woody, as if it were a great insult. "Listen you troll or, whatever you are, we're not having anything to do with a guy who kidnaps kids; especially when one of those kids happens to be Andy."

"We may not have a choice sheriff," said Buzz thoughtfully. "It would be much easier to go about undetected."

"Except when it comes to that wizard," Woody informed him. He sighed. He knew it would be better to play along as new recruits, but the idea of doing it sickened him. "All right fine, we'll do it your way. But I get the first shot at that lousy excuse for a Merlin."

As ordered by Marvelo, Pinky and G.I Joe stood guard on the topmost step of the rolling stairs in front of Andy's cage door. They were taking no chances that he'd try an escape, yet they doubted that he would. It was over and the boy knew it. He lay curled up on his rags in the corner. He wasn't truly sleeping, just resting and thinking over his failed plan and the danger it caused for the kids, along with himself. He knew Marvelo wasn't going to let this go. There was some great punishment in store for him, but until it came, Andy was going to relish in the few minutes he had alone and undisturbed.

No sooner had the fear started to decrease did he hear the sound of many toys milling about and opening cage doors. A few minutes later he heard his own cage door being opened. Andy opened his eyes to slits. He had not realized until now that the wait for them to retrieve him was like the nauseating wait in a doctor's office, however this wait was much worse.

"On your feet soldier," order the G.I Joe as he and Pinky entered the cage. Slowly Andy sat up. He tried to wipe the stress from his eyes, but they grabbed him and lifted him to his feet. He didn't protest this time as he was escorted down the stairs. All around him, kids were being taking away for their morning playtime. Every one of them, it seemed, cast a glance at him, but he couldn't tell if they were angry at him or just fearful. Their looks were blank but they had every right to be frightened. His attention then turned to the one toy he dreaded to see standing before him. But he didn't expect to see the knight and the dragon that he was forced to play with standing by his side.

"And how are we this morning? Good yes?" the wizard asked.

"Terrific," Andy grumbled.

"Well you'll probably feel better after you've had a chance to...play."

"Play?" asked Andy in a hollow voice. Surely he wasn't off the hook for last night? There had to be a catch. Marvelo nodded.

"Yes, play. I figured you would enjoy it before we, settle the matter of the previous night."

As on his first day, Andy was suited up to take on the knight. He was made to participate in a little sword fight against the knight, while dodging attacks from his companion dragon. As much as the knight had enjoyed their first duel, he wasn't enjoying it much now.

"Come on now boy, where's your spirit!" he cried. "Put your back into it."

Andy didn't feel like putting his back into it. His thoughts were settled on whatever punishment Marvelo had in store for him. In fact, out of the corner of his eye was the wizard chatting with a few other toys just outside the playarea. There was too much going on around him with other kids in play for Andy to catch a word of what they were saying. But he knew they were talking about him. Every once in a while the wizard would cast an unreadable gaze toward him and Andy didn't like it one bit. The constant distraction made up for his poor play. After another look at the devious toy, Andy was caught off guard and knocked to the ground by the knight's sword. He didn't seem too pleased to beat Andy once again.

"Hmm, I suppose I have been mistaken about you. You're no real fighter lad, just a boy."

Andy disregarded the mark as he stepped away; even the dragon looked a little bored. After playtime came a late breakfast of pieces of chips and chocolate. Andy didn't expect he'd be allowed to sit with any of the kids, so he sat alone. Two toys, a jack-in-the-box with a clown face, and a heavy muscled army soldier with a shaved head stood before him as guards. If there was anything that finalized his hope of getting out of here, it was this new arrangement. Andy poked around his chips and chocolate, not the least bit hungry. He felt his thoughts starting to turn to Woody and his other toys. _'No use thinking about them'_ he thought bitterly. He knew he'd never see them again. He pushed the thoughts out of his head as he concentrated on forcing himself to eat something. He was so tuned out from his environment that he didn't notice the small figure approaching him from behind.

"Andy?"

He turned around and was met with a nervous looking Cole, who was holding his lunch plate. He looked at him with great determination as if he dared to oppose anyone who tried to stop him from saying what he needed to say. "Thanks."

It was all he said and it was more than enough, but Andy really didn't expect it. He raised his eyebrows and stared. "Wha...for what? It didn't work?"

"At least you tried," said Cole.

"Hey! Move along boy!" cried the soldier.

Normally Cole would have trembled at the order, but he didn't now. He simply walked away without so much as a frightened gasp. Andy took great notice of this. It seemed his determination had rubbed off on Cole and made him just a little bit braver and more confident. Even though he'd failed, he was pleased to inspire such an attitude in the small boy. Knowing that, Andy felt his own depression starting to fall.

After he finished eating, Andy was scheduled for two more rounds of playtime. One was another tea party and the other was playing a soldier with a group of army dolls. During the entire time of his forced play, Andy felt the wizard's eye upon him. He didn't bother with Andy until the end of the game. He glided over with his usual band of henchmen; Pinky, T-Bone, G.I. Joe, as well as a few others like the lizard man and the cop toy. Marvelo didn't make with an excused conversation. He got right to the issue that Andy was expecting-his punishment.

"Will you come with me please," he said seriously. Pinky and Jack gathered behind him in case they needed to restrain him. Andy wasn't planning to give them any trouble until he found out where exactly they were taking him. He was quietly escorted out of the play area. As he moved, he felt the eyes of the kids following him. He refused to make eye contact with any of them. He did not wish for them to feel he was giving in. If anything he wanted them to mainatin a belief in fighting back. However, when he saw Cole, he couldn't help but catch his eyes. He was still holding strong. He looked like he wanted to salute a fallen hero.

They turned a corner at the end of the area, and down a hall that led in the direction of Warrick's office. In a corner between the office and the room that held the play accessories was a dumbwaiter, positioned on the floor like an elevator. Obviously it was designed for the use of the toys. Once inside Andy saw that it wasn't opperated manually, but by a pully system. Pinky serviced them by pulling on the ropes and rising them out of the basement. Andy wished he had known about this earlier. It would have served as the best way to get all the kids out of here. Then again, He didn't know what awaited him on the other levels of the warehouse. As they passed one opening, Andy caught a glimpse of large machinery and conveyer belts, like a factory of some sort, but he couldn't fully tell. Rather than wonder what it was he saw, he kept still and silent. For all he knew, they were approaching some kind of execution chamber. But when they reached the intended floor, it didn't seem to be anything like that. They stepped out and Andy was led down a long hall. On his right were several locked doors. On his left was some kind of interior where the top half was glass. If he was his right size, he would have been able to see what was going on in there. They continued all the way down, following the wizard, until they reached a corner and made a left. There were several rooms down the hall to his right. The mysterious interior continued on at his left. They turned again, into the only room with no door. At this point, Pinky and G.I. Joe grabbed onto his arms and stopped him at the opening. Marvelo and the other toys headed inside and a light automatically switched on.

Inside, the walls were covered in sketches of unknown machinery and contraptions. Along the shelves placed close to the floor were vials and jars of unknown substances. And in the middle of the floor, staring at him like some horrific alien technology was one of those contraptions come to life from a sketch. There were two poles with adjustable straps at the top and bottom. The poles were built with a control stick mechanisim to adjust the straps. Right away Andy knew those poles were meant to hold a person in place between them, and the reason was positioned right behind it; the scariest sight he could never dream possible.

Raised up at an angle on several steel poles and inside a stable steel cylinder was what looked like the world's largest syringe. It was normal sized to any other human, but to him it was huge. Andy paled at the sight of it. He was sure such a thing injected in a being his size would be killed, even though the point of the needle was as thin as a normal syringe. The whole thing put together was just small enough for someone their size to opperate. In fact, there was a medium sized control panel near the crazy thing. Out of the corner of his eye, Andy saw Marvelo walk up to it. He himself couldn't keep his eyes of the thing, particularly the needle part of it.

"I'm glad you're so fond of my creation," said Marvelo with a simple smile.

"F-fond isn't the word," Andy gasped. The word was... _insane. _This was clearly not a toy replica for kids. This was a real needle, with a real unfamiliar clear substance within.

"Warrick made this possible after I convinced him there needed to be a way to show our playmates what happens when they get too, well how should I put this? _Carried away_?"

"You mean this is your version of 'time-out'!" Andy cried indignantly. "Sticking kids with needles."

"Well there haven't been that many who needed it, before you came along."

So that was it. They were going to euthanize him, like some dog that was no longer needed for enjoyment. But he couldn't understand how that could be. Cole mentioned the toys would _steal_ them if they got into trouble. Surely that didn't mean death? But he wasn't so sure after he saw what they did to Mr. Wuzzles. Marvelo nodded to his guards who ushered him toward his doom. Andy wasn't going to take it. He struggled as hard as he could against their grip and screamed for them to let him go. He was putting up such a good fight that T-Bone had to help get control of their captive.

"Stop! Don't do this!"

"You've had your chance to play fair and you failed," said the wizard.

"This isn'..fair!" he cried as he put all his energy into breaking away. But it was useless. They had already managed to push him up to the poles. Pinky let go of Andy and got behind the poles, ready to strap him in. The lizard man also helped to secure Andy into place. The only limbs free at the moment were his feet. He kicked out, which turned out to be a mistake. The G.I. Joe grabbed it and locked it in the foot strap while T-Bone did the same to the other. Pinky raised the back of his shirt and hooked it out of the way. Marvelo pulled at the levers on the side of the pole which raised Andy's limbs farther out and made it impossible for him to struggle anymore. Andy stared at them in disbelief. This couldn't be happening. The reality of living toys was transforming into the kind of horror film where they took revenge on the humans. After checking that Andy was properly in place, Marvelo quietly moved over to the control panel. Andy turned his neck to see as far behind him as he could. He could just barely see the wizard but he couldn't see the giant syringe, but he knew it was still behind him. Even though he knew it was useless, he pulled against his bindings. Marvelo turned a knob, pulled a lever and tapped on a few buttons. A strange humming started behind him, followed by the sound of metal shifting in position. Andy couldn't stand not being able to see what was going on behind him, but he could feel it. He felt a shift in the wind from the needle being raised. And with the rise, his heart stopped.

"Any last words?" Marvelo asked in a curious voice.

"You can't do this!" Andy shouted.

"I think...I can," said Marvelo, just before he hit a large red button.

Motors started to turn as the syringe automatically moved toward its target; a point in Andy's back.

"No! Don't!" he screamed as he pulled even harder against the restraints. It was too late. There was nothing he could do to prevent it as the needle closed in. No toy in the room was going to save him. They had become an audience to this sick torture. Grins and even a few chuckles were released at his fears. Andy felt all the air rush out of his lungs, but he refused to stay silent. He didn't stop crying out until he felt the unmistakable pinch of the point slip into his flesh. Andy gasped in surprise. No shot like this could ever be ignored. An apparatus on the back of the syringe worked to push the small amount of liquid forward; injecting the pint-sized patient. It felt like an eternity of being injected, but after several seconds, he felt a release in pressure. Andy actually slumped forward a bit. The sting left from the syringe was a lot stronger than what a regular sized needle left behind. But he was sure the wizard wouldn't be placing a bandaid on it.

Marvelo stepped around to join the rest of the toys who were watching Andy anxiously. In truth, Andy felt no real difference, except a slight stiffness and pain in his back.

"Well now, that wasn't so bad, was it?" said the wizard grinning. Andy panted as he tried to catch his breath, then he went back to struggling against the binds. The toys moved forward to release him. Once the straps opened, Andy crashed to the floor. But rather than wait to be taken out of here, he jumped to his feet and ran out the door.

He didn't know what he was injected with, but at the moment he wasn't going to stand there and ask. He just wanted out! They had gone too far! If he could just make it to that elevator thing, he'd be okay. But, as he ran he felt something strange was happening to him.

The soreness and stiffness in his back was spreading, and he felt his heart beating faster than it normally should. Andy stopped at the corner and tried to steady himself with a hand out to the wall as a tingling sensation traveled down to this legs and to his arms. The stiffness was happening everywhere. His body was becoming numb as though his limbs were falling asleep from being too still.

No...it felt worse than the numbness of sitting too still. It was a sickening numbness that was tightening every muscle in his legs painfully. Andy forced himself to move forward; to continue running.

He couldn't.

All he could do was staggard forward with a few slow steps. Lightheadedness overcame him, along with a terrible coldness that froze his pained legs on the spot causing him to fall forward. Andy could barely catch himself with his hands as his arms also began to stiffen. He tried to work his legs, but they were like lead. He couldn't move them. He resorted to crawling to freedom, dragging his body forward as he felt the awful effect travel up to his neck and to the muscles of his face. Breathing also seemed to be getting harder. Surely he wasn't dying!

With a few more inches of dragging that moved him no closer to the exit, his arms fell lifeless in front of him. His head dropped to its side and the frightened, confused expression on his face froze into place; his eyes staring vacantly forward, but seeing everything in his path. Shear panic coursed through him as he forced all his energy into lifting his body. It was no good. It was like he was dead. A ghost in an unmovable body.

The sound of many footsteps reached his ears. He was dying to turn his head or run, but no amount of urging pushed the desired affect. He didn't wince or cringe or blink as Marvelo stepped in front of his prone body. He urged his mouth to form curses at him; to scream in asking what he had done to him, but it was useless. He was disconnected from himself, yet trapped within.

Arms grabbed onto his and pulled him to a standing position. His head automatically fell forward. He could see the shadow of Marvelo's feet stepping closer. He reached out and lifted his chin, forcing Andy to make eye contact with him.

"Now you have the full experience of what it's like to be a _toy. _In your opinion anyways. Completely lifeless as they should be yes?"

As expected Andy couldn't reply. All he could do was endlessly stare back at him.

"Take him to the room," he ordered to the toys who held him. "Give him some time to consider how we feel for a change."

Marvelo dropped his finger from his chin and Andy's head dropped once again. He was helpless as they took him away. The only sight meeting his eye's position was the floor, and the only thought coming to his head was the warning of Cole.

_'This is what he meant',_ he thought with great terror ripping at his heart. For the realization had dawned on him that he had been, as the children called it, "_Stilled."_

**So now we know what Cole meant when he said the toys punished by "Stilling" them if they got out of hand. They give them the experience of a toy freezing into place. I didn't realize it until afterwards, that the toys sticking Andy with the needle is like the scene in Toy Story 3 where Lotso's toys are restraining Buzz while they change him to demo mode. Hmm. **

**Anyways...Ahh man...giant needle!**

**Maybe this was the reason I haven't updated in a while. That last part is pretty brutal. It made me slightly wonder if I had gone too far! But then I think of the upcoming chapters and I have to ask myself that question again. lol. But the way I see it is that this is a rare situation, the toy shrinking story, and since I am doing it I might as well go all out with it. Take advantage of the epic adventure and the dangers that come along the way with little sugar-coating. That includes giving Andy all the experiences of being a toy. And we haven't even crossed another side of it either. **

**Well the good news is, there's no warning for the next chapter. Though we're in a dark situation, Woody and the gang are on the way. Too bad they didn't make it before Andy was punished.**

**Do review and I'll update real soon!**


	29. Chapter 29

**Disclaimer: I don't own TS**

**Well, I'm pleased you made it past the trauma of the previous chapter. Man..if this were a movie, that scene would probably be cut; then again, some thought TS3 pushed it with the incinerator scene. We have a lot of dark moments happening here I know, but hopefully they will pull through it. But putting Andy through that paralysis temporarily puts him out of the story, so to speak. It gives the other characters a chance to be focused on as well as give Andy a moment to contemplate his life. Andy, Woody and the others learn from each other through this tough experiences and it particularly gives Andy a link to the realities of the real world; death, violence, responsibility, letting go, etc.**

**Anyways, in this chapter, hope has returned! ;)**

Taking Control

After some time had passed since Marvelo disposed of Andy, Woody and company had arrived at the scene. Out in the countryside, in what seemed to be the middle of nowhere lay a large warehouse. Its gray and worn exterior showed it had been around for sometime, yet Warrick apparently bothered to purchase it for himself. Woody wasn't fully surprised to see his interest in such a badly shaped building after he had seen how he kept his own house. No fence of any kind bordered the warehouse. There was nothing but grass and a dusty road leading up to it. Here Rc and the jeep slowed down in their driving as they came closer. It was of a great relief for Bullseye who couldn't possibly run anymore. He was panting as he trailed slowly behind them. Jessie patted his neck for comfort while the others kept their eyes and ears open for any unusual signs.

"We'll find them in there right? We'll find Andy?" Woody asked Trolly for assurance.

The troll nodded.

"They'll be down below, in the basement," he told him.

"But how will we get in?" asked Rex from the jeep.

"We'll find a way," Buzz assured him.

"Warrick doesn't, look after this place well. I'm sure there's an opening somewhere."

They continued on; the closer they got to the building, the more determined Woody became in spirit. From the look of the outside of this place, he was sure he wouldn't like what was happening on the inside. Though he had been warned about what Warrick and Marvelo did to children, he couldn't help feeling it would be worse to see it. He looked over at Buzz and noticed he was expressing the same feelings on his features. He didn't know if it was toy instinct or not, but if Woody had hair on the back of his neck he knew it would be raising just about now.

When they were right up to the building, they circled to the back and looked all about for some way in. Trolly suggested they announce their presence to the toys inside and have them believe they were Warrick's new toys. Buzz had warned him how suspicious it would look for them to arrive from such a long way without Warrick. Besides that, there was the high possibility they'd instantly be confronted with the wizard. Sneaking inside was best and they found a way to do it with the many broken windows. A stack of crates and other junk created the stepping stones to lead them up to the window. They all settled before it, glancing up.

"Alright guys, how do we want to do this?" asked Buzz.

"What do you mean how?" asked Woody incredously. "We just, go in there and get Andy out!"

"But, the other kids," Jessie reminded him.

Woody growled in slight frustration. He couldn't help it. Andy, was right here and he didn't want to be patient enough to take anything in. He just wanted to get his owner, his best friend out of this place. It wasn't helping that Warrick's conversation with his toys still lingered on his mind, especially the part about punishing Andy.

"We don't even know if we can fully trust what Warrick's toys have said!"

"Hey...what about me?" asked Trolly.

"Ah, no offense. I wasn't talking about you, I was talking about that truck back in Warrick's place," Woody explained.

"But that doesn't make sense," Jessie reasoned. "Why would he take just Andy and leave him here?"

"She's got a point. If there are other kids here, we've got to find a way to help them," Buzz insisted.

Woody sighed. "I'm not saying that we shouldn't guys. I'm just saying...it's still so hard to believe. I guess we'll just have to see for ourselves."

"Oh, it's going to be scary," said Rex cringing. "I just know it!"

"Not if we're together," said Buzz. "Let's go guys! We'll show them how loyal toys are to their humans."

With that, he climbed up the pile, heading for the window. One by one the others followed after him, even Rc, just in case they needed a quick getaway. The jeep stayed behind and for a minute Trolly thought about staying behind also.

"I don't know about this guys. This is, my life you're tampering with, for your human," Trolly informed them.

"A life you wanted to change," said Slinky.

"That's right," said Buzz. "Plus with you around, it will be easier for you to pass us off as Warrick's new toys."

"Well, okay," Trolly decided as he proceeded to climb up after them.

Once they were through the window, they immediately hit the top of a pile of boxes in a small gray room. Buzz took a moment to scan the area as the others came out of the window behind him. It was a very small storage area where everything was boxed up. Buzz couldn't get a hint of what was in any of them, as the labels were removed.

"What kind of place is this?" asked Rex as he and the other toys stepped up to look around.

"Not the place where we'll find Andy," Buzz answered.

"Then let's leave," said Woody quickly. He hopped down from the box and hurried across the floor. Normally Buzz would have warned him about moving about too quickly in an unknown territory, however, in this case he agreed with him. They quickly crossed the room to the door. They were grouped together at the end, looking out at a long hall that passed the door. Woody looked up and down as if some sign would tell him the best way to go.

"Which way do we go?" he asked more to himself than anyone.

Trolly peered over his shoulder. "We should, go to the elevator."

They all turned to him as if it were the wildest idea they'd ever heard.

"The elevator?" Slinky questioned.

Trolly nodded. "Yep. Warrick built one for us to go up and down this, warehouse. That much I remember, if it's still here. We'll go down to the basement."

"All right, but do you know where this elevator is?" asked Buzz. Trolly scratched his head in a moment of deep thought.

"Uh, I think so. It should be off on the side of the walls somewhere. Follow me."

Without being asked, Trolly stepped out into the hall and headed down the right side of the hall. He held his head high as if he were completely comfortable with taking the lead away from the others. Woody and the rest hesitated.

"You don't suppose," Woody whispered to Buzz. "He could be leading us into a trap?"

"I don't know Woody," said Jessie. "He seems pretty trustworthy."

"Ha, you thought that about the Prospector. Well Buzz."

"We don't have much of a choice. And besides that, I do think Jessie has a point."

"Of course you do," said Woody as he rolled his eyes.

"We can't go wandering around here for too long."

"Think of it this way," said Mr. Potato Head. "We outnumber him nine to one."

With those odds, they would be able to deal with Trolly if they realized he was leading them to a trap. However, that wasn't counting all the toys that roamed about below the warehouse. After several minutes of traveling in and around the narrow halls and past vacant doors, Trolly had finally found what he'd been searching for. In the wall was the dumb waiter for the toys' use. At this point Trolly thought it was best to finally inform them of what area of the warehouse they were traveling in.

"Very few of Warricks' toys I believe, are allowed up here where we are. At least, that's what I remember from the last time I was here."

"Why's that?" asked Hamm.

"This is, I think. This part of the warehouse is a factory."

"A factory?" asked Jessie.

"A warehouse does have many uses Jessie," Buzz explained.

"It's all, for the toys," Trolly explained.

"But, we didn't see anything like a factory up here," said Jessie still confused.

"It's, not where we're allowed," he said with a slight firmness to close any further question about it.

Trolly said no more about it as he climbed up into the elevator made for toys. It was a tight fit as all the others entered, but they managed. Trolly informed them how it worked and got Buzz to help him work the ropes to bring them down. Slowly the halls of the upper level of the warehouse was slipping out of sight. Several minutes later it was replaced with a view of the basement. Immediately Woody was met with a floor thriving with action. Toys were all over the place. It looked as if Warrick did have over a hundred of them. The space was wide and broken off with walls or rooms that created certain departments and halls. When the elevator reached the bottom, Trolly signaled them out.

"Come on," said Trolly.

"You sure Andy will be here?" Woody asked as they stepped out.

"Where else would he, be?"

"How should I know! That's why I'm asking you."

"Hey! What's going on over,..heeerrrreee?"

They all froze as a half man half lizard toy stepped up to them. The reptilian voice caught Andy's toys off guard. Rex trembled from hearing it. Trolly was the only one who wasn't surprised, yet he was having trouble coming up with the excuse.

"Ah, ah, um..." he stuttered as he tried to think of what to say. Buzz forcefully nudged him in the side to snap Trolly out of his nervousness. "Oh, um, these are some new toys, from Warrick."

The lizard man eyed him suspiciously. "What are you doing back here Trolly? The last time you were here, you were beeegggging to go home. Like nothing more than a crybaby."

"Well, I offered to, show these toys, the way of things," Trolly answered nervously. "I..Warrick, he gave me another chance to come back. I sort of, missed the place."

The lizard man still looked suspicious, but his interest was now on the new arrivals. Woody and the others stared back at him, but tried not to look too fearful of the place and situation they were in. The lizard studied each one of them in turn. He quickly made up his mind that some of the newcomers could be a welcomed addition. With the cowboy, cowgirl and horse, they could have a good western. With the spaceman, he could blast a child off in space. And the toy car would be a fun ride for any boy or girl. But the others, there was nothing special about them.

"Well, now, let me be the first to welcome you here."

"Ah, thank-you," said Woody, uncertainly.

"You've arrived in time for playtime," the lizard continued.

"Actually, we wanted to, familiarize ourselves with our new home before we, participate," said Buzz.

The lizard bowed in understanding. "Well, by all means. Have a look around."

Buzz ushered Trolly forward as they moved past the toy.

"Just one thing. Have you met Marvelo?" he asked in a sharp voice. Woody was the one to answer as he whirled around. Buzz held him back, worried that he might say something to blow their cover.

"Oh yeah, we've met him," he answered angrily. But upon Buzz's warning look, he softened and did his best to hide his rage. "Uh, we met him and...I don't think he thinks..much of us."

The lizard chuckled. He didn't seem to take the reasoning behind his anger. "Don't be offended by anything he might have said. You'll prove yourselves later I'm sure."

"Yes, I'm sure," Woody said, a bit coldy. Once the lizard walked away from them, Buzz rounded on the cowboy.

"What are you trying to do? Get us caught?"

"Of course not! We're here for Andy remember."

"Then keep your temper in check," Buzz insisted. "We can't have anyone suspect why we're here. We're going to have to play along. Now, he thinks we're Warrick's new toys, so that should make things easier."

"Unless we really do see that wizard again," Woody warned him. "Then it's over. There's got to be over a hundred toys here on his side."

"Then we'll be extra careful and do this as quickly as possible."

As Andy's toys were pretending to be a part of Warrick's collection, Warrick was purchasing a new collection of old battered toys from another garage sale. He had his arms full with two boxes of unwanted playthings, some of which were broken and appeared impossible to fix. But he could fix them; he knew he could do it and make them better than they were before. He'd made it his job afterall. However, he always worried he may come across another toy like Marvelo. A toy who greatly treasured time with a child and was willing to take it as far, if not farther than Marvelo when it came to forcing this desire to come true. It couldn't last. Warrick was sure his scheme wouldn't last. Afterall, they had yet to decide on what to do when the kids grew older. What were they going to do with them? Or better yet, what were they going to do with their current problem, Andy Davis?

As if to answer his question, his cell started to ring just a he reached his car. It startled him out of his thoughts and nearly caused him to drop his boxes as he jumped. He tried to manuver the boxes onto the car while reaching for his phone. It only resulted in him dropping both boxes and losing the toys all over the ground. He sighed and answered his phone with some annoyance.

"Yes yes what is it?"

On the other end of the phone was Marvelo. He was still on the top floor of the warehouse, in a private office space for Warrick.

"I wish to inform you that I have taken matters into my own hands," he told him.

"Meaning?" asked Warrick.

"Meaning that that Davis boy had tried to escape again. And this time he brought all of the children with him."

"All of the chil..what do you mean? What are you saying?"

"I'm saying he nearly ruined our plans!" He shouted as he pounded a fist against the receiver. "That fool nearly managed to sneak every child out of this place, and in the same night he was caught after a failed escape." He paused and let his temper settle before continuing in a calm manner. "Like I said, I've taken matters into my own hands. I've laid down the punishment."

It was difficult for Warrick to wrap his mind around what the wizard was telling him. That Davis kid created a break-out? That teenaged boy who was always so suspcious of him? Maybe he was just too old, or their scheme had run on far too long, but Warrick found he wasn't highly upset over the near escape. But that didn't mean he didn't feel Andy deserved his punishment.

"Oh, well good," Warrick complimented.

"And I will take it further," the wizard continued.

"Further?" questioned Warrick with alarm.

"With the special equipment we've neglected to try-out all this time."

Warrick could could hear the malice in his tone. Never had he expressed such intense hatred for a human. Not since his twin owners long ago. It made him all the more shocked when he learned he wanted to carry the punishment to the next level; a level Warrick firmly believed was going _too _far.

"Now wait a minute, I-" The phone clicked off. Marvelo hadn't bothered to ask advice or gain his permission. He had taken control. He was simply telling him what he was going to do without caring about his thoughts on the matter. He had reached a new level of thinking that was truly viscious. Warrick had always feared the day when Marvelo would discard him, and today was that day. He quickly stuffed his phone in his pocket and gathered the toys in the boxes. From where he was, it was a long way to the warehouse, and he wasn't sure he had enough gas in the car to make it. Nonetheless, he was determined to get there in time. He would not let what was suppose to be a special time get so far out of control.

Minutes had passed and the troop of Andy's toys were barely narrowing around the corner of the wall they'd seen the back of on the elevator. If they had crossed around it several hours earlier, they would have found who they were looking for. But before that, they, especially Woody, would have seen that the crazy notion of kidnapping kids for play was true. Buzz had just finished expressing the idea of spreading out to find Andy, and was met with a few opposing arguments of the need to stick together. Woody had been silent during his talk; all his thoughts were on Andy, and his fears increased with the idea that they were too late. But thoughts of his best friend quickly slipped away when they turned the corner of the wall. Buzz and the others were also silenced with the sight that fell before them.

They had found the wall of the cages, some occupied by a few kids.

"I don't, I don't believe it" Woody gasped in shock.

Toys milled up and down the space inbetween the cages. One was roughly pushing a kid into a cage, locking the door behind him. Another was dragging a kid out. As if to make the matter even more confusing for Andy's toys, many of the kids were dressed up in a variety of costumes. But the expressions on their faces clearly showed they were not enjoying the reason for it. It was the one thing they had in common, sad faces, along with mistreatment. Rex gulped and shook. Slinky, Hamm and Potato Head merely stared in fright. Jessie gasped and covered her mouth with her hands. Buzz shook his head and looked over at Woody.

"I...I don't, believe it," Woody continued again.

"I told you," said Trolly sadly. "That's not even the worst of it."

Woody couldn't believe that it could be any worse. It was true! Actually true that Warrick and Marvelo smuggled shrunken kids out of their houses and kept them in this place. Seeing really was believeing, but for playtime? It had to be the answer as to why some of the cages were empty. They were off somewhere being made to play. It could be the only reason for their attire. Woody immediately stepped forward, heading down the hall space. His fear for Andy was momentarily replaced by outrage for these poor kids. He didn't understand it. How could any toy treat a child this way? They didn't belong to them, and neither did Andy.

"Come on, Andy could be in one of those cages."

They pushed aside their shock and followed their one-time leader. As they moved, they paid no attention to the toys they passed. They were fully focused on the cages. It wasn't so much the empty cages, but the ones that weren't empty that sent chills through their plastic and stuffed bodies. To see kids curled up, frightened and miserable instead of at home in their warm beds surrounded by kind toys filled them with sorrow. They briefly locked eyes with the group of toys as they passed by. Woody felt, at that moment, slightly ashamed to call himself a toy in their presence as he saw many of the kids sobbing or scooting back at the sight of them. Clearly they were fearful that even more toys were coming in to play. Didn't the toys realize what kind of damage they were placing on a child? Not counting breaking their rule, but kidnapping them for fun? And what about Warrick? Didn't he care about the kids at all? He was a kid once, and he was human; at least he was suppose to be. But the sad fact remained, these kids would never be the same again if they managed to get them out of here. They may never feel the same way about their toys again. They may also never feel the same way toward people.

"How could they do this to children?" Jessie whispered, horrified. She looked like she was on the verge of tears, if she were capable of sheading them.

"Shh, we don't want them to hear," Buzz whispered.

"We've got to get them out of here," she continued.

"We will, somehow," Woody promised. "But we've got to find Andy."

So far, he wasn't found. They looked at the top and bottom cages, but their owner was not in sight.

"Andy's got to be in one of these cages," Woody whispered to the others.

"Maybe they're keeping him someplace special," said Slinky."

"Maybe he's where the other kids are," said Mr. Potato Head.

"Maybe we should ask," offered Rex.

"Right Rex," Woody said sarcastically. "We'll just walk up to one of these toys and say-"

"Hello."

They all froze when a blue and green alien figure stepped before them. She had octopus like tentacles moving about her waist like a living skirt and black markings up and down her arms and face like a warrior. She talked with a thick tribal accent.

"Can I help you find what you are looking for?"

"Ah," Woody stammered, caught off guard at the sight of the toy. "Ah, actually, we're new and uh...we ah.."

"We were curious about some of the children you have here," Buzz intervened.

"Well if you are new, you haven't yet had playtime," said the alien.

"Negative," Buzz answered. "But we heard you were keeping an older child here."

"Ahh, curious of him are you?"

"Very. I..I believed he'd be able to handle a blast off into space better than the smaller ones."

"Ah well, you've arrived a little late. He's being punished."

"Punished!" cried Woody, temporarily letting his concern slip through when he was suppose to be indifferent to the children's plight.

"Yes," answered the alien, cocking a suspicious eyebrow. "He formulated an escape with our children."

The toys exchanged curious looks at the thought of Andy attempting to free all the kids. It didn't seem possible with so many toys around, and apparently it wasn't since he was somewhere being punished. But his desperation to escape and free the others was understandable. They hadn't been there for him, and Andy had to find a way to survive on his own. Now he was being punished for it. Woody tried not to let the information fill his head with imagined tortures forced on his boy. Instead, he forced himself to ask the next question without expressing his emotional state.

"Where, do they, punish him if you don't mind me asking?"

She paused and Woody feared she wouldn't answer. "On the topmost floor. But you do not need to go up there to wait for him."

"No no no," Buzz assured her. "We were only curious. We'll find someone else."

The alien nodded, but not before giving Woody another suspicious look. Woody was far too caught up in what he had learned to bother pretending he was on their side. _Andy,_he thought sadly. He had been right. Andy was in some great danger and he hadn't been here to see that he was all right. _'But it can't be too late!'_ he thought desperately. Rex shook worse than ever.

"Oh no, poor Andy," Rex cried. "He-"

Mr. Potato Head quickly reach up and shut his mouth.

"Keep those thoughts to yourself," he warned him. "We can't get busted now."

"He's right," said buzz. "I think we're already starting to draw suspicion." He glanced back at the alien who was chatting with a storm trooper and looking back at them. The toys walking about also cast them curious looks.

"Well what are we gonna do?" Jessie whispered.

"We're gonna save him of course," Woody insisted. "Let's go."

"We can't all go," Buzz whispered to him. "We don't want to draw attention."

"Then I'll go, wish me luck," said Woody. He quickly turned and headed in the direction of the elevator before Buzz could say anything more. Buzz didn't dare call him back. Instead, he started to walk away from the others. Jessie frowned and walked up next to him.

"Buzz, you think it's all right for him to go up there alone?"

"It'll be easier and less suspicious."

"What do we do now?"

"We try and figure out a way to get us all out of this mess. We should all keep some distance between us and keep our eyes open for that wizard, as well as Woody and Andy's return."

"And then what?" Jessie pressed.

"And then," Buzz started. For once he wasn't so certain what the best thing was to do. He sighed. This whole adventure was becoming a lot more difficult and impossible than he'd ever imagined. The simple task of restoring Andy to his human size had led to an attempt to rescue a bunch of kidnapped kids. "Hope for the best."

**Yay! Woody's here to save the day. But...can he save the day? **

**The gang has finally arrived, but they were too late to save Andy from being stilled. But at least they are here, and soon Warrick will be here too! Everyone's coming together for what will be an exciting conclusion. But for now, we still have several chapters to go. So, what is happening with Andy? How will Buzz and the others help the kids?**

**Oh man, so many cliffies ;). You'll find out what happens next time if you keep reading and keep sending those exciting reviews!**


	30. Chapter 30

**Disclaimer: I don't own Toy Story**

**Okay guys. the last chapter was kinda short. The most important thing about it was the arrival of Woody and the others; their arrival, plus Marvelo plus Warrick questioned who was going to be in control of this whole situation. **

Toy Loyalty

When Andy had heard he was going to a room, he assumed it meant he would be locked away forever. Forever trapped in a frozen state like a lifeless doll; like toys were meant to be. But the room had turned out to be an imitation of a bedroom with light blue walls and colorful pictures of kids' drawings taped up. There were a few chairs and a desk and small piles of toy acssessories on the floor. It was like a child's bedroom, from what Andy could see, but lined with many small beds running along the wall. But his first thoughts weren't on what kind of room this was. His head was still lying limply onto his chest, so all he could see was a light brown carpet. His panic hadn't ceased during the trip to the room. If anything it increased.

"Lay him right over there boys," he heard Jack say from behind him.

They dragged his limp form over to a bed near the door, then proceeded to turn him around. Andy was able to catch a glimpse of one of his captors, being Pinky as he grabbed ahold of his feet and helped the toy who had his arms toss him carelessly onto the bed. Andy was sprawled onto the bed that was large enough to be kingsized, but still small enough to be toy sized. His head was propped against the pillows, slightly raised so he could see Marvelo's henchmen gathered at the foot of the bed. There was the rabbit, and T-Bone, who were joined by Pinky, then G.I Joe who had been his other captor.

"Nothing else to be done with him right?" asked Pinky as he watched him with a devious grin.

"No," said Jack. "Not until Marvelo says so, however, I do hope there's more to be done. This boy is a pain in the stuffing."

There were a few chuckles at this as they left the room, leaving Andy alone in silence.

That felt like that was hours ago, but he was certain it couldn't have been that long. Everything now seemed to pass slowly. It might have been a few minutes he had been stuck in his bed, but to him it felt like an eternity of being unable to move or cry for help, or simply to cry at all. Paralized and alone in a strange place. It had all been scary, but nothing compared to this. Laying there, dying to move. Feeling that he wasn't getting enough air in his lungs, even though his slow breathing was still keeping him alive. He had the feeling that his heart had stopped, but he knew that was impossible. His eyes, transfixed ahead of him in an intense stare. It was a nightmare not to feel his own body-to be trapped in such a cruel way. It was the only thing he could think about. That, and regretting his actions of escaping. Thinking he should have accepted his life as a toy. He was the size of one now, and he had been treated like one. Marvelo had pointed that out several times, he hadn't understood his toys at all, and now he was being punished for it. He hated that a part of him was agreeing with the wizard. He knew it was due to the state he was in and the thoughts of his last words. But it seemed all the more true now. Woody, and the rest of his toys weren't coming. There was nothing more for him to do than to experience life from their point of view.

It was a struggle for his skinny form, but Woody had managed to pull the ropes alone to bring him up to the top floor. When he could pull no more, he realized he had made it. Woody quickly scanned the area to make sure no other toys were in sight. He quickly jumped out and stepped quietly into a hall. It was the same hall Andy had been dragged down with rooms along his right, and the interior wall with glass serving as a window along the top to his left. Woody was much too short to view within, but he wasn't the least bit curious of it anyways. He had one goal in mind and he had to keep moving in order to achieve it.

As he walked, the feeling that he wasn't alone consumed him. There were other toys up here, somewhere. Maybe one of them was Marvelo himself. Woody was suddenly wishing Buzz hadn't suggested only one of them could rescue Andy alone. Sure it was less suspicious but it would also be a lot safer, and less scary if someone had accompanied him. But if anyone had to do this, Woody made sure it was him, and he would be brave-for Andy's sake. He knew he had put up with a lot already and they couldn't afford any mistakes.

Woody suddenly froze at the sound of voices down the end of the hall. He quickly jumped back against the wall and tried to flatten himself against it as much as he could. He waited in absolute silence and became perfectly still as the voices came closer. One of the voices was laughing.

"Do you think Warrick will approve of what the wizard is doing?" asked a deep, animalistic voice. As they moved across the hall, out of the corner of his eye, Woody saw the voice coming from a pink gorilla. He was talking to a half-burned G.I. Joe, with rifle in hand.

"Marvelo has taken full command," he told the gorilla. "He's onto phase two without his permission."

Luckily they were crossing from the right to the left, so they did not see Woody as they passed. It would have been a disaster if they had come from the other direction. It didn't matter now. They were quickly out of sight. Woody waited a few more minutes before peaking down in the direction from which they came. The wall across from him, and down to the end into the next hall was lined with several rooms. For all he knew, Andy could be in one of them. Worse case senario, Marvelo was in one. He shook his head. There was no way around it. He had to give it a shot. He hurried down the other hall as quietly as possible, then proceeded to slowly peek into the rooms.

He scanned them as quickly as he could. The first room was bare of any kind of furnishings. The second was cluttered with books and papers all over the place. A third room had shelves with unknown formulas and other supplies that Woody believed related to toys in some way; perhaps bottles of paint, clay or plastic to fix them with. The next room was rather large and would have sparked curiousity of its arrangement had his eyes not instantly fell to who he was looking for-Andy.

Without thinking that another toy might be in the room with him, Woody hurried inside and ran straight over to the large bed where his owner lay.

Andy. It seemed like weeks since he had seen him last.

"Andy!" he cried out. "Oh I'm so glad I found you. I..."

Woody paused, as he realized something wasn't right. Andy lay on the bed, eyes wide open, but he hadn't so much as blinked at the sight of his old cowboy pal.

"Andy?" Woody questioned, his voice filling with concern. Andy didn't respond at all. He simply lay there. Woody moved closer and grabbed onto his shoulders. In the excitement of being reunited with Andy, he had almost forgotten that he was up here for punishment. Clearly it already happened, and it looked like that punishment was...

_NO! _he thought angrily. It couldn't be that. He was convinced no toy would go that far in hurting a human. No toy would, _kill_ a child.

Woody gulped and started to shiver as the idea took ahold of him. Andy wasn't moving. He didn't even appear to be breathing. Woody couldn't believe it. He couldn't believe that they had arrived too late!

"A-ndy," he said in a shaky voice full of anguish as he tried to shake him out of it. Against his hope, Andy did not stir. He simply wobbled like a ragdoll in Woody's desperate grip. His head coming forward then dropping back against the pillow. Nothing had changed in his demeanor. His face blank but carrying the hint of shock and confusion. Woody hovered over him, desperatly searching for any sign that his boy was okay; The corners of his mouth lifting into a smile and his eyes twinkling with joy. But it wasn't so. It was an ironic scene that had played before, but it was he who was staring vacantly at his owner as he pretended to be lifeless. He was forced to keep his shock at bay as he stared back at his miniaturized owner. Now it was the other way around. Andy was meant to be treated like a toy in this place, and now he looked like one. But he appeared, to Woody, to be nothing more than a lifeless body. It was that thought alone that had Woody frozen at his side. He hated to accept it-hated to believe that his owner was dead.

"Andy," he whispered quietly.

"Ahh, how touching."

Woody cringed and instantly whirled around. He hadn't been the least bit surprised to see Marvelo standing there at the door. However he didn't expect to see the Pink gorilla, the G.I Joe, as well as a wrestler, and a one-eyed rabbit. But Woody's focus was solely on the wizard.

"Paying your last respects to your old owner?" he asked with a sickeningly sweet smile.

"What have you done to Andy!" Woody demanded. It took everything he had not to rush over to him and pound him to pieces, but he refused to leave Andy's side. He had already lost him once.

Marvelo grinned at the sight of the cowboy's anger as he and the others stepped further into the room.

"Nothing life-threatening, so you can dry your eyes."

"What do you mean nothing life-threatening, he's-"

"Under the influence of a paralizing drug," the wizard remarked.

Woody turned away from the wizard and stared into Andy's face. "Para-lized?" he questioned, with slight hope that it meant Andy was still alive.

"That's right, paralized, but only for an hour. I'd say he has about fifteen more minutes in his frozen state. It's a drastic form of punishment, I'll admit, but it does produce the desired affect."

"And what's that?" Woody spat.

"To have them realize all the more what it's like to be us. What it's like to be a toy! He's had plenty of time to think it over and listen to our side of things, or have you been filling his head with other nonsense?"

Woody couldn't believe he was hearing such talk. It was shaking him up so much that his knees buckled and he had to seat himself on the bed. He took ahold of Andy's hand in his, fearful that it may have the coldness of death. To his relief it was still warm.

"Children, they're acceptable when they're little, but when they get older they become ungrateful. No longer do they hold dear, the things they loved as a child. It's not fair to us. That's why I've made it an effort to remind them, that we have feelings too."

At his last words, Woody was reminded of the camp-out he'd had with Andy. He, of course, had been unaware that toys even possessed feelings.

"Sure we have feelings," Woody agreed with bitterness. "But they don't know that! It's not fair to them, what you've done."

"It's not fair what they've done to me!" the wizard cried. At this a few of his henchmen looked at him with a bit of concern. "But it's not like we're punishing all the children this way. They do get playtime in a wonderfully established playtime environment. It should be any child's dream; toys that come to life for them without electrical wiring or batteries. Now they'll know how we really feel. Hang the rules. We deserve to have a little fun too. We deserve...what are you doing?"

The wizard was interupted out of his rambling at the sight of Woody. During his talk, he had moved closer to the bed and had thrown the boy's right arm over his shoulder while he supported the boy around the back with his left arm, even though Andy leaned limply to his other side. It seemed Woody was preparing to drag Andy out of the room.

"What do you think you're doing?," the wizard demanded dangerously. "If you think-"

"How dare you," Woody growled in such a dangerously low voice that he actually suprised Marvelo. Woody's head was down so he couldn't see the expression on his face, but Marvelo knew it was dark. "How dare you do this to Andy. He doesn't deserve this! He didn't do anything wrong!"

"He already had from the look of your faces when I first met your colorful bunch. He's a teenager! Do you really expect him to continue loving you! No. He's abandoned you! He's no better than the bratty twins that used to own me."

"Andy's not like that! He's the kindest, and brightest kid I know. He's always trying to help others and do good."

"It won't last," Marvelo argued.

"It will always last!" Woody yelled. "I may not be able to keep him from growing up, and growing away from me, but at least I know that I've done my job as a toy; or have you forgotten what that means?"

Marvelo stared back at Woody as if he'd been offended, while the other toys exchanged curious glances.

"I must say," Marvelo said slowly. "That I hadn't expected you to come all this way, for a boy who no longer cares for you."

"Well then you obviously don't know what it means, or you forgot that a toy is suppose to be there when their owners need them most. To comfort them and give them joy. They're suppose to love and support them no matter how old they get. That's what toys are for."

Marvelo grimaced and his expression hardened. If he was honest with himself he'd know he had never felt that way. His past was much too abusive. And when he was given his dangerous ability by Warrick, he became wrapped up in his ideas of making the moments between child and toy last. Well he had found the idea that suited him and he wasn't about to let the cowboy take it away, especially with such mushy talk.

"A very touching speech sheriff, but it does not change the outcome of what's already happening. Release that boy!"

"Not on your life!" Woody declared as he tightened his grip on Andy.

"Very well." The wizard snapped his fingers and the other toys marched over. Woody felt he was able to fight them all, but he couldn't. All five of them over-powered him. Woody struggled against them while still keeping a grip on Andy. The gorilla and the rabbit were pulling him away, kicking and crying out. Andy moved along with Woody, but at the last moment, he was forced to let go. Woody was dragged to the side while Andy slumped side-ways and fell onto the floor with a harsh thump. There was a momentary silence at his fall. Woody, in the grip of the rabbit, locked eyes onto Andy's frightened ones. He'd give anything to relieve him of his fears and undo what was done to him.

"What do we do with him boss?" asked the rabbit.

"Lock him away next door in the closet. We've got another matter to concern ourselves with," he said maliciously, eyes gleaming. Woody fought harder than ever, but it was no use. The rabbit was just too strong.

"Andy! No, Andy!" he cried as his view of the boy slipped from his sight. Andy was now left alone, staring up as Marvelo and his henchmen closed in on him.

"And now onto the other matter," he said as he stared down at him.

As Warrick's toys were dealing with Andy upstairs, Andy's toys were trying to deal with the circumstances below. They had spread out to get a layout of the area, however, they were getting much more than they imagined. It was one thing being told that the kids were made to play, and it was another to actually see it. Slinky, accompanied by Rex were near the play area, watching various games the toys had forced the children to participate in. A pirate captain was making a crying girl walk the plank on a large set of a ship. He kept pointing his sword into her back, daring her to jump into an ocean. Another group consisted of various sized chefs who were having a skinny dark haired boy in a chef's apparel, cook plastic foods ontop of a toy stove with a face. Off to the side, a young girl in a long dress and floppy hat was having a tea party with a large white bear, surrounded by a coulple of damaged looking dolls. Slinky had could never have imagined anything like it. None of the children were enjoying what could have been seen as a 'dream come true' for toys to be alive. They were all miserable and frightened. But it wasn't so much for the kids, Slinky quickly realized, it was for the toys. A self-fish act that didn't concern their feelings at all.

"OOoh, I don't like this place," Rex whispered as he trembled and watched the scene before him.

"Neither do I," Slinky whispered, "But we can't let anyone around here know. Buzz said he'll work on a way to get them out of here."

"But how? There's too many of them and too, little, of us."

"I don't know, but when we meet back with the others, I'm sure we'll have a plan. For now, it looks like the best way to get them out of here is by how we got in."

"But-"

Rex was about to argue the impossibilities of saving all the children when he saw Slinky was distracted by a small boy wandering over to a lunch table. He would not have caught their attention if he hadn't mumbled the name Andy. Slinky exchanged a look with Rex then they wandered over to him. The boy was fingering a few crushed chips on a small plate and staring at the table in great misery.

"Hi there!" Slinky greeted.

The boy jumped and instantly paled.

"I...I'm sorry. I was, taking a break. I didn't mean to-"

"Ssshh, you don't have to worry," Slinky whispered kindly. "You're not in trouble and we're not your enemies."

"We're friends," said Rex with a small wave of his claw.

The boy stared back at them as if they were planning some kind of con. "Friends. Like I haven't heard that one before."

"No really," Slinky told him. He stepped closer so only he could hear. "We're not Warrick's toys, we're Andy's."

"A-andy's?" said the boy, as he gaped at them.

"Yeah, do you know him?" asked Rex.

"Know him. He was in the cage above mine. What are you doing here? Oh no, are you turning against him?"

"No no no, it's nothing like that," said Slinky. "We came to get him out of here, and you guys as well."

"You're the toys he told me about."

"That's right," said Slinky with a laugh. "What's your name."

"It's Cole. Have you really come to get us out of this place? You know Andy tried to, but failed."

"Well he has us now and we won't fail. As long as you keep our little secret, everything will be fine and dandy."

It was dread. Pure dread that conquerored Andy now as he was being dragged off to another unknown destination. How he had longed to run to Woody's side. He had been the last person he expected to see when Woody popped his head through that door. If Andy didn't already feel he was lacking air, the sight of him made him breathless. His old cowboy doll, his best pal through so many years of childhood play hadn't given up on him. There was no telling what he'd been through to find him, and when he did he was thrilled beyond belief. Marvelo was completely wrong. Woody hadn't decided to abandon Andy because he neglected him; he was too loyal. He cared about him, and would do anything to help him no matter what.

Andy would have given anything at that moment to respond to his cries. To twitch or at least blink to let him know that he wasn't dead. To let him know how happy he was to see him again. It killed him to know that Woody had thought that. It killed him even more when Marvelo and the others walked into the room. But Woody had stayed by his side. Woody had touched his heart when he told them how much he meant to him. How proud he was of him. Tears could have been pouring then if the situation hadn't become so tense.

If Marvelo hadn't pulled Woody away from him.

Now Woody could be getting his own form of punishment and he prayed it wasn't what Mr. Wuzzles had to go through. He hoped it wasn't anything at all.

G.I. Joe and Pinky were dragging him alongside the wall with the glass top. Andy could care less what was behind those walls, but he had a feeling he was about to find out anyways.

"Phase two," the G.I Joe muttered. "Are you certain we have approval of this?"

"We have all the approval we need," Marvelo answered as he led them along. "In me."

They were quickly reaching an opening. With Andy's head lying limp on his chest, he could only see the floor as they moved. The only thing that told him he was entering such an opening was the bright light. They paused. Andy could only assume Marvelo had stopped to direct them. Then he was being dragged again. The only thing coming into view were steel parts and pipes. The momentary relief he'd felt at seeing Woody vanished. He was in for something far worse than what he was experiencing so far. If only the ten minutes would ware off. He'd break loose of his captors and find Woody. He felt motivated enough to do so. He forced himself to move his arms; to kick and cry out, but he was still frozen.

"Are you, sure of this?" asked T-Bone uncertainly.

"More sure than anything," answered Marvelo as he walked away from Andy and the others and climbed up onto a large human sized control board. "This _boy_, this problem child, will be a problem for us no more. He's gone just far enough. Besides, it's time we tested out the poor thing. Never been used."

A horrible chill ran up Andy's spine. He had no idea what kind of room this was. All he could discern from his viewpoint was that the room housed factory equipment. Then next thing he knew, he was being dragged up a minuature rail. His captors stopped and Pinky grabbed ahold of his legs. Together he and G.I Joe tossed him onto something that wasn't a bed this time. It was stiff yet slightly soft. As his head slumped to the side, he was able to see he was laying on a piece of cardboard that was positioned on something wide and black. He also noticed that since he was up higher in the room, he could get a good idea of what kind of room this was. It was indeed some kind of factory, and he had a sickening feeling he was on a conveyer belt to some machine. The paralizing drug had only been the beginning of his punishment. The wizard was taking it to the next level. _'But why?_' He didn't know if it had anything to do with Woody's sudden arrival or if he had it planned all along. All he knew was that he was now more scared than ever.

The G.I Joe climbed aboard and kneeled down at Andy's feet. Andy felt him tying his feet into place even though he knew he couldn't move. Perhaps it meant the drug would soon be wearing off. He hoped so. He felt like the bindings were nothing more than plastic ties that he could break free from, unlike the bindings in the first contraption. The soldier then moved up and tied his hands down by his side. Marvelo was next to Andy. He reached down and turned his head so he was staring straight up at the ceiling.

"Wendal never had the guts to take this to the next level. He never thought it was nessecary. But after last night, I don't believe we have much of a choice, do we?" he asked Andy in a serious tone. Andy could only stare. If anything, he desired the wizard to explain what he was going to do to him.

"Now you'll get the absolute experience of what it is to be plastic. Locked away, abandoned, frozen in a box for all time on a shelf. You'll be so with the machine that's about to make that possible."

He laughed madly, which not only sent an invisible shiver through Andy, but through his henchmen as well. It seemed his anger at Andy for attempting to take control of their plans had pushed the wizard off the edge. He stepped away from Andy and over to the control panel where he hit a large red button. The room was quickly filled with a few alarms and the sound of a running high powered engine. Marvelo walked back over to Andy and peered down into his face with a large smile.

"We've given you a chance to learn how things work around here. Now you'll have no choice."

"Boss! Hey boss!"

Marvelo turned in annoyance at the interruption. Jack had just come hopping into the room.

"What is it?" he cried out.

"The big boss, I mean Warrick is on his way here. I don't think he likes what you're doing."

Marvelo growled and rolled his eyes. In his mind, Warrick was getting much too soft.

"Very well. Let's see if we can't try to delay him."

He stepped over to the conveyer belt. This time, with much effort, he pulled down a lever. The sound of gases and winds blowing up ahead started up. The conveyer belt shook, then slowly it started to move.

"So sorry I won't be here to witness your transformation," Marvelo told Andy before he climbed down to the floor and led the others out of the room.

Andy was left alone, moving toward some unknown demise. He couldn't move and he couldn't cry for help. All he could do was suffer the consequences of what was to become of him as one sad wish rang in his head.

_'Woody'_

**Just when you think everything's alright,...it's not, again. **

**Well, here you found out the paralyzing drug only last an hour (It wasn't permanent), but before that Woody assumed Andy was dead. Most of the scenes and situations may reference TS3. In the begining, it was a coincidence, but here it really wasn't. Woody talking to Marvelo about how special Andy is references the last scene in TS 3 where Andy is telling Bonnie how special Woody is. Andy is sort of in a toy state, and that being said he gets the feeling of how frustrating it is for a toy, especially in the last part of this chapter where he desired to express his happiness at seeing Woody. How many times would Woody have wanted to spring to life before Andy, but couldn't? Here the role is switched. **

**While Buzz and the others try to figure out what to do, Andy's getting punished...AGAIN! And in the worst way possible. Marvelo found a way to take it to the next level. That last scene, you will see next chapter, is another reference to TS3, but in a different way. But it doesn't appear anyone's coming to his rescue...**

**Is there hope for Andy and all the other kids? Only one way to find out! If you are able to make it past these dark scenes and send in your reviews, I may relieve you of the tension ;)**


	31. Chapter 31

**Disclaimer: I don't own Toy Story.**

**Haven't forgotten this story guys. There's so many things going on that I've had to take care of and I'm still not done. Besides that, I'm kinda on the brink of forming a new fic. But I'll conclude this one first.**

**Anyways, we left off with Marvelo pushing Andy's punishment to the next level and Woody's been locked away. Buzz and the others are below trying to figure out how to help everybody. You should note the scene that Andy's in, alludes to a powerful scene in TS3, but with a main difference. Also, there's only a few chapters to go til the end. And, like a few chapters before, this one's pretty emotional.**

Breaking Point

Andy wiggled, he struggled and pulled against the bindings; or at least that was what he was attempting to do. Unfortunately he was still frozen. It had to be the longest fifteen minutes he'd ever suffered. The drug wasn't wearing off anytime soon which meant in a matter of minutes, he'd be doomed. That was it. He lay there, staring up at the ceiling as he passed along on the vibrating conveyer. But he felt like he was passing more than the lights up above. It was like he was watching his old life pass before his eyes. He thought about the friends he'd never see again. They'd get to go off to college, while he forever remained a high school student; actually, a student no more.

He thought of Molly. If anything, he was glad he had given her advice about growing up. He just hoped she took the time to enjoy her childhood, least the thing that happened to him happened to her. Then he thought of his mother. She was strong and very supportive. Andy had been as strong as he could through his whole adventure, and that had not been easy. But when he fell to his lowest, he had called her and that strenghtened him. If only he could hear her voice one more time. If only he could hug and kiss her and tell her how much he loved her. The same went for Molly.

And his father. He had talked to him at least. What would he say when he learned he had gone missing? There was no way he, nor his mom would learn what had happened to him. That is, unless his toys got out of here and broke their silence. He thought it unlikely, but then again, he wasn't so sure. He had spent more than enough time with them to learn how much they cared about him. They had done all they could to keep him safe and help him, especially Woody. They would never know how much he appreciated it.

_'Woody'_ he thought sadly. He was glad he had been able to see him again. It made it so much easier to accept defeat. He let the thoughts of those moments roam through his head as he continued on his way. He hoped, when Woody learned what happened to him, that he would be okay in the end. Afterall, Woody had already experienced the loss of his owner when his dad grew up and moved out of the house. But this, for Andy, would be a different kind of move.

Woody rammed into the wood for what felt like the thousandth time. He had been thrown into a closet, kicking and screaming like a child. He didn't care, they were about to do something unforgivable to his owner. Woody crashed into the door again. It jiggled and rocked back. Apparently he wasn't locked away good enough. The closet was human sized, so the only thing they could do to keep him in was to use something to block the door. It was moving aside, whatever it was, but it was doing it so slowly. He was much too limp to make much progress. He knew he was, but at the moment it wasn't stopping him. He rammed his shoulder into the wood repeatedly, crying out for Andy some of the time and growling curses under his breath for the wizard the other time. How he wished he hadn't agreed to come up here alone. Then again, he would have still been out numbered. Once he got out of here, what were the chances of him getting thrown back in again, or being taken somewhere else?

Either way, he couldn't take the chance of something happening to Andy.

"Come on, come on," he hissed under his breath.

It would take only a little more. Where was that strong cowboy that Andy had depicted him as in playtime? Where was that sheriff that could overcome obstacles? Where was Woody, the one who could be counted on to save the day?

Those questions crossed in his mind and encouraged him to give his most powerful push against the door. And by some miracle, he had been strong enough to open a wide enough gap for himself. Woody paused to pant and to get over the shock of what he had done. He stepped out and saw that the thing that was blocking the door was a large heavy looking wooden box. He actually took a second to glance up and down himself. He couldn't believe it was he who had actually been strong enough to move it. Then he balled his hands into fists and glared at the room's open door. Of course he could believe it. Andy was in danger and he was strong enough to save him.

He hurried over to the door frame and peaked out. There was no toy walking about. He quickly slipped out and ran down the hall.

Woody quickly hurried back to the room where he last left Andy. He cautiously peaked around the door. Marvelo and the others were gone, and so was Andy. Woody leaned back against the wall as his fear increased. Andy wasn't there? _'Where did they take him?'_

Woody didn't have a clue. He hated the idea of searching each room...

He paused as strange mechanic sounds reached his ears. It was faint, but he was hearing enough to make out that it was on the same floor as he was. In fact, it seemed to be coming from the glassed room. Woody crossed the hall and pressed up against its walls. He hurried down until he found an opening. He quickly found the doorway and something else that caught him off gaurd. The glassed off room was hiding a monsterous looking machine with a long conveyer belt moving toward some closed off steel box that reminded him of a stove or microwave. But he had a feeling this machine wasn't for baking. Woody stepped further into the room and frowned. He could just make out something moving ontop of the belt. He didn't know why, but something told him to find out what it was. Taking the same path to reach the top as Marvelo and the others had, Woody climbed up.

If Woody had been in possession of a heart, he was certain it would have fallen right out of him from the sight he was seeing.

Andy! He had found him, but not in the way he could ever imagine. He didn't know what this machine would do to him, but he knew it would do a whole lot worse; afterall, what more could Marvelo have done to punish Andy than to freeze him?

He wasn't about to find out.

"Andy!" he cried as he hurried down the conveyer to his stilled form. He grabbed onto his shoulders and stared down into his eyes. "Andy!" There was no response. He was still paralized. Woody quickly looked up. The conveyer was carrying them closer to that oven. Up ahead of Andy were a few other cardboard pieces with molds that looked to be made of plastic or clay tied to them. Being this high and up close, he realized the majority of the noise was coming from the stove's activation. The conveyer would pause in its movement toward it and inside the stove, shields would come down, trapping one of the molds inside. He couldn't see what was happening, but he heard something that sounded like gas issuing out. He could just get a glimpse of a bright blue light from the opening below the front shield. After a minute, the shields lifted and the conveyer started again. Woody got a good impression of what might happen to Andy when he saw what had happened to the mold. It looked like it had turned to porcelain with its new shiny surface. Woody quickly deduced that the wizard really was planning to take Andy's punishment to the next level. Whether Andy literally turned to porcelain or not, he could tell he would forever be stilled if he didn't get him out of here.

"Don't worry Andy," he cried as he quickly went to untying the binds on one of his arms. "I'm here now, and I'm gonna get you out of here!"

As soon as he finished unbinding one arm, he quickly turned to the next one. Inbetween his movements, he glanced at the door. If Marvelo caught him now, there would be no escaping. He glanced behind him. Two molds were ahead of him. He had to get him off this conveyer now.

"Don't worry Andy," Woody reassured him, however, it was meant to reassure himself. "We'll get you out of here, get you changed back to normal, then take you home."

The stove was getting closer. Woody hurried down to one of his feet and began unbinding, but the panic had already set in. His hands were shaking and he was finding it impossible to undo a simple plastic tie. There was only one mold ahead of them. They were so close Woody could feel a slight breeze coming from the stove. It wasn't hot, it was freezing. Woody hurried to his other side and crouched down. There was not enough time to untie him. The stove had just finished freezing or preparing the last mold. Andy was next.

"Andy!" he cried. He was still out of it. He got behind him and reached under his arms. He quickly proceeded to pull him from the conveyer and in turn pull his right foot free of the last binding. He pulled with all his might.

The stove was upon them. Luckily Woody was pulling him sideways off the conveyer. There was a safe area next to the conveyer that wasn't moving. Woody pulled harder and at the last minute, just as the shield was preparing to go down, the binding broke on his foot and Andy was free. Woody fell back and Andy collapsed onto him. The shield came down, but there was nothing for it to freeze. Woody panted as he watched and listened to it freezing nothing on the conveyer.

"We did it Andy," said Woody. "We're alright." He looked down at Andy's still frozen features. Well, at least they were alright from the machine. The next step was to get them off this table-top and back down to the floor before one of the wizard's minions came back in. But from the way Woody looked at it, it was easier said. But it was for Andy's sake. He was vulnerable and Woody had to protect him now. So he straightened his hat on his head, grabbed Andy under the arms and pulled him back to the area that he used to get up to the conveyer.

Woody hoped the time it took to bring Andy and himself down would be long enough for the boy to awaken, however, he had done the whole manuvering as quickly as possible. Woody had never believed he could do so much. He had never been put in a situation that tested himself in such a way before. But he was relieved he had been a lot stronger than he thought. If he had needed the help of the others, he would never have been able to save his owner in time.

Once he was on the floor, he searched out the best hiding place they could use until the paralisis wore off. Woody much prefered just getting Andy out of here right away, but he couldn't go dragging him around. Most likely the halls were crawling with Marvelo's toys by now.

On that thought, Woody jumped when he heard a loud laugh. It wasn't coming from within the room, but from someone outside it who was heading this way. In a panic, Woody scanned the room. Over on the side wall was a line of six large locker spaces as big as a closet. Four of them had doors that were slightly open.

"Come on," said Woody. As he quickly dragged Andy over to them.

No sooner had Woody hidden them in one of the spaces did Jack and Pinky enter the room.

"If you ask me," said Pinky as they entered the room. "The boss is losing it. Not calling Warrick, making decisions behind his back? He's really lost it."

"Better not let him catch you talking that way," said Jack as he hopped over to the conveyer. "Otherwise, it'll be you strapped to that machine and not that kid."

"Let him try," Pinky challenged as he started boxing the air. "I ain't worried."

Jack had already made it upon the table of the conveyer, and sensing something was amiss, he hit a button to make the belt reverse. His ear twitched in surprise.

"Well ya better start worrying. The kid's gone!"

"What!" growled Pinky in surprise. "You're putting me on."

"Come up here and take a look for yourself if you don't believe me."

Pinky growled with irritation, but moved up next to the bunny. His mouth practically hit the table.

"Wha..tha..he's gone!"

"You're telling me," said Jack.

"Where, but how? That drug-"

"Must have worn off sooner than Marvelo figured," Jack fininshed. "He can't have gone far. He's in here somewhere for sure."

He hurried back down to the floor with the ape behind him. "What do you expect us to do? Search the place? He was Marvelo's responsibility. He should have been looking after him."

"You really want to tell him that?"

Pinky paused to think it over. "No."

"Then help me look for him before he comes back."

"I think deep down, we're all in agreement that we don't want to treat children this way," said Buzz loudly and with much confidence. He was standing on top of a toy circus platform over a large group of Warrick's toys with a few kids mixed inbetween. During their scheduled playtime, Buzz and Jessie had quickly gathered a group together to hear him speak. Once he started in about the poor treatment they were giving to the kids, a few of the toys abandoned the circle. Most of them stayed near to hear him. They were silent as Buzz continued his speech, but that didn't mean they all agreed with him.

"There's a better way, trust me."

Near the platform at his feet were the rest of Andy's toys. Rex was shaking and looking around nervously as if expecting the wizard to show up at any minute. Buzz didn't deny that it wasn't possible, but for now he had a point to make and he was sure he could persuade a good number of toys to join his side. He had hoped to delay the speech until Woody and Andy returned, but even if he waited he still didn't have a plan of action. There were just too many of Warrick's toys. For now talking was the best method, regardless of how stupid it seemed. While he and the others had split up, he and Jessie had gotten a few confessions out of some of the lot who admitted they were in disapproval of Marvelo's ways. Buzz had taken it to a whole new level by risking getting punished for bad mouthing their boss. For that reason he had warned Andy's toys not to mention they were with him. If anything happened to him, they could get him out.

"What better way is there?" cried the knight who had fought Andy on many occassions. "To get broken, forgotten then thrown away? Why, my own owner practically did the same thing to me and he's standing right over there."

He pointed over to the side where his ex-owner, the small blonde boy, was standing. He twitched at being found out, then bravely stepped forward.

"I didn't mean to, to hurt you," he apologized, much to the unexpectation of the knight who jumped at hearing the boy speak to him. "I didn't mean to drop you. You just slipped out of my hands. And I didn't mean to make it that you were a knight who couldn't fight anymore. I just...I just.."

He didn't know what else to say; neither did the knight for that matter. He was staring back at his old owner with a mix of conflicting emotions. He wasn't sure whether to believe and forgive him or continue standing against him.

"But that's just it," a large purple monstrous looking toy interrupted. "If we keep things the way we do, we can play with any kid any size."

"But for how long?" asked Buzz. "They'll grow up too and what's going to happen to them?" There was silence at this. It was something Marvelo never quite worked out. If they really admitted it out loud, they hated for anything bad to happen to them.

"We'll get more," said a small plush tiger. There were a few cheers at this from Warrick's toys until Buzz quieted them again. He started to speak but Jessie broke her silence.

"Don't you care about these kids' lives?" There was instant quiet. "You care so much about yours, you're not even considering theirs. You can't blame a kid for growing up or forgetting about you and moving on, because, they don't know we care about them. Our job as toys is to make a child happy and to be there when they need us, but not this way." Jessie had stopped her speech just in time, as she was starting to reflect on the loss of her old owner Emily. But she gave the desired affect.

Slowly the toys began to exchange glances with one another, even trading a few with some of the kids. The knight scratched his head as he thought this over. All around him, others were doing the same, slowly considering the rights and wrongs of their actions.

Jessie turned and smiled up at Buzz. It seemed it was a good idea to bring her along, and now was the best time to take advantage of what she had said and further push Warrick's toys onto his side.

"All right everyone. I think you're slowly starting to see the right side of things. And now the next thing we need to deal with is how to translate that to Warrick and Marvelo."

As Buzz was setting the kids' freedom in motion, Woody and Andy were still hiding from Jack and Pinky. They had just finished scouting the room from afar and were closing in on their hiding space. For that reason, Woody had thrown a few left over rags he found inside a box over Andy and himself until they left the room. By now Pinky was tired of searching and was convinced Andy was well away from this room.

"I'm telling ya Jack," he growled as Jack hopped over to the locker spaces. "The kid ain't here. And while we're wasting time up here, that kid could be-"

"That kid isn't anything. He can't get out of here with so many of us on the watch."

"But.."

Pinky paused while Jack hovered over the area. Woody knew he was right there and he did all he could to keep his knees from knocking. If he felt the need to move aside the rags that would be it for them. Luckily for him, he didn't feel the need. He was growing tired of the search too, and though he didn't admit it out loud, he felt that Pinky had a point. He growled as his eyes scanned over the random tools and rags that were in the locker. He pulled away then turned to Pinky.

"Have it your way, we'll check the halls."

With that he hopped away. Woody gave it a few more minutes before throwing the rags off himself then hurrying over to Andy.

"Okay Andy, looks like the coast is clear," said Woody as he threw the rags off of him. Woody paused to stare into his face for any change, but there was none. Andy was still frozen. Woody held back a sigh then ran over to the opening and peeked out. They were completely alone. It seemed they had all the time in the world to hide here until his boy recovered. But how much longer could that be? Surely not much, but it was feeling like forever. Woody bowed his head and slowly walked back over to Andy. It was so scary seeing him like that; still, as if he were dead. Metaphorically speaking, he had been dead to them ever since he became a teenager.

Woody took a rag and folded it up in the shape of a pillow. He then gently raised Andy's head and slipped it under. If he wasn't coming around anytime soon, then at least he could try and make him comfortable.

"There you go. I hope that, helps." Woody smiled softly, but then his face fell at the lack of reaction from his owner. He started thinking of their first meeting and how he had felt when he learned Andy was gone. And it was all because of that wizard. If only he had kept a closer eye on him when he first came to their room, then none of this would have happened.

"I'm sorry Andy," he apologized. "I let you down. I promised to protect you, but I couldn't even do that. Now look what's happened." Woody paused again as a great wave of guilt overcame him. "You, remember when we were first searching your room for that wizard? I started to tell you that I was trying to keep an eye on him, but I didn't. I let him talk me into believing you were done with me. He told all of us you were too big for us, and while he was talking us into those ideas, he slipped out. I didn't realize what kind of toy he was, until it was too late. But, some good did come of this, right? I mean, if it weren't for him, we never would have met this way." Woody went from kneeling to sitting on the floor next to Andy, eyes locked onto his blue ones. "You don't know how much I've wanted to talk to you. To have you talk to me as more than your plaything. That dream's come true Andy. I've got my wish. I wished it on your dad too when he was little, but when he grew up, I had to change my wish to a promise that I would be there for you. And I'm not breaking my promise. I'm never gonna let anything bad happen to you again."

Emotion consumed him as Woody finished his words with a cracking voice. He couldn't say anymore, but he didn't have to. Whether the time was up or his words contained some special magic, Andy blinked and slowly closed his eyes. "Andy?" said Woody with much concern as he watched Andy rouse himself out of his trance. He moaned softly then turned his head to Woody and opened his eyes.

"W-woody," he said in a soft tired voice.

"Andy," cried Woody happily. "Andy, thank goodness, are you all right?"

Andy blinked a few times. He was still a little stiff, but the drug was wearing off. He gave his cowboy a small nod. "I...I think so. I just feel-" He stopped as he raised himself up. Woody quickly placed an arm around his back to support him.

"Easy Andy, easy. You're still not-"

"It's okay, Woody. I can't stay in here, forever," Andy told him.

"You're right," Woody agreed. "We've got to get you out of here. Hopefully Buzz and the others have found a way."

"Buzz? The others? They're here too?" asked Andy.

"You didn't think they wouldn't come all this way to help you did you?" asked Woody, smiling.

Andy, grateful, bowed his head and nodded. He was safe now. His toys were here and he was safe. Woody patted his back then stood and marched over to the opening.

"Now all we've got to do is figure out how we're going to get you out."

But Andy was barely listening. He was, without realizing til now, consumed with the terror of what had nearly happened to him. He had almost lost his life, in some unexpected way that he still didn't understand. He was just mere inches from some horrible toyish fate, and who should come along to save him-Woody. If anything made him regret how he felt in the beginning, his feeling that he could solve his problem completely on his own, this latest event was it. He wouldn't have stood a chance out in the world, not in his small size and not with Marvelo and Warrick after him. He would have been lost without his toys, and his most loyal cowboy Woody.

As he thought about the difficulties he'd faced, and the things he had learned not only about his toys, but about himself, he felt he had a better understanding of the difficulty of life. Things weren't always going to be easy, and if things did get too difficult, it was okay to get help from others. Afterall, he wasn't completely grown up yet. Eyes moistened with tears, Andy looked over at Woody and considered what he had said while he was stilled. He hadn't let him down; he'd made him more proud than he could ever imagine.

"All right Andy, I think the coast is clear," said Woody as he continued to scan the area. Suddenly, he was caught off guard as something crashed into him from behind and nearly toppled him over. Woody glanced down, surprised to see Andy clinging to him with his arms wrapped around his waist. His head was bowed, but Woody still caught a glimpse of his face where his eyes were shut tight. He could also feel him shivering slightly. He frowned, imediately frightened for his boy.

"Andy, what's-"

"I thought, I thought I was going to die. I thought they were going to kill me," Andy cried. The way his voice shook clearly showed how terrifying his stay with Marvelo had been. Woody had been right all along; his boy had been through some terrible dangers since his kidnapping. Maybe more that he didn't want to know about. But whatever they were, and from what he had seen, it had been powerful enough to reduce him to the little boy Woody remembered him being so long ago. Back in the days when he would cry and when Woody would be there to comfort him and hopefully clear away the tears. He wanted to put all his energy into thinking up tortures for that wizard. He wanted to rant and rave, but he realized his energy was better spent on Andy. Woody rubbed his back soothingly.

"It's okay Andy, we're here now. I'm here, and I-"

"I know, you won't let anything happen to me," Andy finished as he lifted his head. "But that's just it. I thought I'd never see you guys again. And I tried to do it alone, I tried to help the other kids, but I failed."

"We can't always do things on our own Andy. I wouldn't have been able to make it all this way if it weren't for the help of the others. You didn't fail, you tried," said Woody, smiling. "And I've very proud of you."

"I'm proud of you too," Andy admitted as he fell into an easy embrace with his old time pal. Saying they were proud, was saying so much without saying anything else. Andy pulled away and rubbed at his eyes as he looked at Woody. "We can't fail them Woody. It's not just my problem."

"I know, we saw, and it's disgusting how they're treating those kids. I guess...I guess before we get you all out of here, we'll have to find a way to cure you all."

"I found a way, but I lost it. Warrick has to have more."

"Well one way or another, we'll get the answer out of him. Right now, let's get out of here."

Andy nodded and moved next to Woody to scout out the best route. This room had two openings, like a front and back exit They were near the back exit. Much of the toy traffic passed along the front opening, including the rooms Andy and Woody had been stationed in. So the back way out was best; it was risky, but it would be worth it.

"All right come on," said Woody as he raced forward. Andy, in the mist of his hurry, stumbled and fell forward. Apparently the drug hadn't fully worn off. Woody turned about and hurried to his side to help him up.

"Andy! Are you all right?"

Andy released a shaky breath. He still felt out of it, and somewhat dizzy. "I've, been better. I'm afraid I might slow you down for a while."

"Don't worry about that Andy. Not with me by your side."

Once Andy steadied himself, they headed out the room, but not before peeking around the corner. The hall was empty. At the other end of the hall was the elevator they needed to take to get to the bottom floor. But it seemed like such a long ways. Andy sighed at the thought. Woody knew exactly what he was thinking as he turned to him. With Andy in the shape he was in, they couldn't slow around. Before Woody could make any kind of comment, Andy beat him to it, knowing just what he was going to say.

"It's all right Woody. I think I can hurry that far," he assured him.

"Ah, okay, but if you can't, you let me know."

"What do you suggest? A piggyback ride? I can do this."

Andy took a second to gather himself before he and Woody hurried down toward the elevator. It seemed a lot longer than they were thinking, but they made it without any hassle. They quickly climbed inside then Woody turned to the ropes and began to work them to make the elevator head down. Andy stumbled over to him to help.

"You know, we could be headed for trouble down there," said Woody.

"I expected as much, but we have to try. But still, how are we going to get so many kids back to normal and back home at the same time?"

"One thing at a time partner," said Woody. "First we'll get the antidote and worry about getting out later. If anything, when you're you again, you can take on Warrick's toys."

Andy gave a hollow laugh. "Not if he shrinks me again." Suddenly there was a terrible jolt as their ride came to a complete stop. Andy grabbed the ropes to keep from falling. He and Woody looked up at the pulley system. "What's wrong?"

Woody didn't answer immediately. The jolt had come from the mechanism of the pulley. Woody was doing his best to yank the ropes free. "It looks like it's stuck."

"Stuck!" cried Andy increduously. "It can't be stuck."

He joined Woody in yanking on the ropes but it was no good. They were stuck, but not in a place they wanted to be. They saw that their ride had instantly halted on the second floor of the warehouse. The one room Andy barely got a glimpse of and the main floor of the warehouse where Woody and the others had entered.

"Woody, what are we gonna do?" Andy whispered.

Woody held up a hand to quiet him. "Hey, do you hear that?"

Andy paused to listen. It sounded like voices that were not too far away. Panic instantly seized Andy. "You don't think...what if it's-"

"Let's get out of here, fast," Woody whispered. He jumped down to the floor, followed by Andy. They moved down a narrow dark hall. Woody peeked around the corner, then nodded to Andy. "I guess our best bet is to take the stairs, if we can find them and if you can manage."

"Sounds good to me," Andy agreed. And with that, they quickly hurried across the hall and down another.

During the time Woody and Andy were plotting their escape from the first level of the warehouse, Marvelo was awaiting the presense of Warrick on the second level. He, along with T-Bone, G.I Joe and the cop toy had made their way to the front door where they expected him to emerge any minute. Marvelo was clearly annoyed. He would much rather be watching the condemned teenager face a lifetime of stillness in a cryogenic like paralysis than talk about the rights and wrongs with his supposed boss. He sighed with annoyance. He knew all along that Wendall was just too soft, or maybe he was getting too old. Either way, he wouldn't let the old fool get in the way of his goals, no matter what. As expected, the door handle jiggled as a key was turning. The others took a step back, with the exception of Marvelo. Marvelo avoided rolling his eyes. Whenever Warrick was upset, they usually held a slight fear about him. But it was ridiculous. They had no reason to fear Warrick. Warrick had every reason to fear them. It was the toys' world in this place and no human could do anything about it now; not even the fool Warrick.

The door burst open and revealed the panting toy owner. Instantly his eyes connected to the wizard's who stared fiercly back at him.

"What do you...what do you...mean by, by, resorting to...the Davis boy does not-"

"Why don't you sit down and restore yourself to calmness," offered Marvelo in a polite tone. "Then we can discuss this, rationally."

He was completely undisturbed and cool about the matter, whereas Warrick was having a fit.

"I am not sitting down," Warrick stated with wild gestures. "I want to know what's going on."

"Nothing is going on my friend, I am simply handling the matter," Marvelo explained with complete calmness.

"Handling, more like controling," Warrick sneered. "We agreed long ago we weren't ever going to resort to that once we started this business."

"Then what is the point of having it-"

"It is simply for experimentation and that's all, and you know it." Warrick stepped away and headed over to the wall. He leaned his head against it, looking as if he was in total despair and started to moan. "Oh, that poor poor boy, ooohhh. To have suffered such a fate." The G.I Joe, the cop toy and even T-Bone looked away from their owner. They couldn't deny their toy instinct to please a human. Deep, deep down they were slightly ashamed. Warrick had done a lot for them, and they were taking it for granted. They were taking control. Marvelo on the otherhand didn't even blink an eye at his sobbing. He thought the whole scene was a ridiculous spectacle.

"I never meant to hurt anyone, and now he's..."

"Perfectly safe," Marvelo lied. The other toys stared at him in confusion. Warrick too turned around and looked down.

"What? What did you say?"

"I said he's perfectly safe," Marvelo repeated. "I decided not to go through with it. You called just in time and forced me to re-evaluate my decision. He's still tied down though."

"Oh, then I'll untie him," said Warrick as he made to head for the stairs that would lead him to the top floor. Marvelo quickly jumped in front of him.

"Oh by all means allow me. That way I can apologize. You were right about me. I have gone too far, so let me make it up to him."

Warrick considered this for a second before finally giving in. "Oh, ah, all right. But bring him back to his cage as soon as you're done."

"Oh I shall. In the mean time, why don't you check on our other guests. They haven't seen you in a while."

Warrick seemed to jump at this idea. He didn't want it to show, but he did feel a bit akward at meeting all those children again. Once he delivered them here, he was usually done with them and they were in the hands of the toys. But after hearing about the near loss of the Davis boy, he felt he owed it to them to visit. No. He knew he owed them so much more. Warrick shook his head as he headed for the stairs that would lead him down. _I should have never started this,_ he thought sadly. But it was too late to turn back.

Marvelo waited until he was out of sight before rolling his eyes and turning the other way. The others followed behind.

"What was that about boss?" asked T-Bone.

Marvelo supressed a sigh. He knew it was risky to lie, particularly to a human that he'd been talking to for as long as he could remember, but he felt it was in his best interest. "Comfort of course. We can't afford to have Wendal fall apart now. I just gave him what he wanted to hear at the moment."

"And what happens when he finds out the truth?" asked the soldier.

At that question, Marvelo pulled out his wand and fingered it gently in his hand. It was something he regretted to do or even think about, but he knew it would have to be done one day. His old man was just too soft down under. "He's not going to find out the truth, if I have anything to do about it," he said darkly. The others exchanged fearful looks. Their leader had crossed the line and it had started with Mr. Wuzzles. No toy was safe if he was on the bad side of the wizard; and now no human was either.

"Boss! Hey boss!"

Marvelo looked up from his wand to see Jack and Pinky hurrying toward them.

"What is it you two? Come to gloat at how well the Davis boy stilled? I'm so sorry I missed it."

"Well, that would be hard to do, considering he's gone," said Jack.

Marvelo tensed and took a hard grip on his wand. His eyes narrowed, giving the pair such a cold look that they were forced to step back in fear. "What do you mean he's..._gone,_?" he asked in a dangerous voice.

Jack exchanged a cautious look with Pinky, and signaled for him to take a turn in explaining.

"He's just, he wasn't there," Pinky told him. "The drug must have worn off. We searched everywhere but we don't know where he is."

Marvelo felt a huge wave of rage rush into him. But it was quickly abated when he noticed something moving quickly out of the corner of his eye. He had just seen what had looked like a whimpy cowboy doll and a teenaged boy pass into a hall down the other end of the floor. The wizard's lips curled into a satisfied smile.

"Oh, I think I know where he is."

**Okay guys. ...**

**Next chapter...**

**will be...**

**the moment you've all been waiting for...!**

**the great climax of the story!**

**I can't believe we're at that moment already! So I expect each and every one of you who've been following this story from the beginning to be there to see how it all turns out! (which I'm sure I don't have to tell you) And do send in your thoughts in anticipation for next time!**

**As for this chapter, hopefully you caught the conveyer scene as a reference to the incinerator scene in TS3. They used fire/heat while I used...well cold. Andy was in the moment Woody was in when he thought they were gonna die. Then they were saved at the last minute. I acutally planned this scene differently. Andy was still going to be in danger of permanent freezing, but in a more complicated manner. This way, it alludes to TS3. There were some emotional moments, but next chapter...**

**It's time to take some action. The CLIMAX! **


	32. Chapter 32

**disclaimer: I don't own Toy Story**

**All right guys!**

**Here it is!**

**Take a good look at the title people! I think you know what's about to come. I know I haven't been updating in a while, but I do hope you guys are still following this story. I'm ready to wrap it up and I will, so long as I know you're still out there. **

**Okay, we last left off with Woody and Andy trying to find a way out, Marvelo spotted them, and Warrick is about to check on the kids. I know you're more than ready to get to the climax, so here we go...**

Toys vs. Humans

The hall Woody and Andy had taken, led them to a few other rooms that were closed off. It didn't matter to them as they were closed and in their size, they had no way of opening them. But they did leave Andy curious. It was possible that behind one of those doors was some kind of help. It made Andy all the more anxious. What if a set of stair lay behind one of them? At the moment, he felt they would be much safer out of the halls. The way they were going made Andy feel exposed. Any minute, someone could sneak around the corner and catch them, and with Andy still recovering from paralysis, they'd be an easy catch. It would all be over.

"Woody," Andy started. "I hate to say this, but I think we're going to have to get out of here by using one of these doors."

Woody gritted his teeth. He had just been thinking along the same lines. "I was just thinking the same thing."

"But how are we gonna do it?"

"Usually, it's not a big problem for a toy when other toys are around, or if they have something of use. But it's just the two of us."

Andy shook his head in disappointment. "Why didn't Buzz and the others come up here with you?"

"He thought if too many of us came to rescue you, we'd get caught. Hopefully they found a way to get us all out of here."

Andy supressed a sigh at how difficult it was going to be, especially the first task of opening one of these doors. Then a sudden thought occured to him.

"Woody, maybe we will be able to get through one of these doors."

"Huh?"

"Warrick set up this place to be convienient for toys to move around and get what they need. Why don't we try a door and see?"

Woody stopped in his tracks to consider this. He did have a point. Afterall, that elevator wasn't there for Warrick. At that thought, Woody reprimanded himself for not thinking of it sooner. He had to realize that this place wasn't just made for Warrick, but for his toys as well. The rules were broken here. Humans and toys, were in a way, on the same side. But Woody was sure there was a limit somewhere.

He nodded. "Guess we should have been paying more attention to the doors we passed."

"We still have to be careful which one we open. Hey, how about that one?" Andy pointed to the door at the end of the hall. Written on the glass were the words **Employees Only**. Andy quirked an eyebrow suspiciously. Warrick was the only one here, (the only human that is), unless there was something in there he didn't want the toys to see. It was either that or it was simply a sign showing the age of the warehouse.

"Looks like you were right Andy," said Woody who had walked over to the door.

On the wall next to the door in perfect reach was a large red button with the word "open" carved into it. Woody exchanged a look with Andy, then hit the button. The door clicked then swung open to a crack. _'So much for Warrick not wanting his toys to see,' _thought Andy as he followed Woody through the door. Immediately, they stepped out onto a walkway that overlooked a large room. They walked up to the rail and looked down for a better look. This room, wasn't just any room. Andy preceived it as the real factory of the warehouse. Below them were several vats of bubbling substances. Some of them were colored like dyes, the others gave Andy the impression that they were waxes and plastics. Further along the room were three rows of machines with conveyer belts. Andy could tell right away that they were different from the machine that nearly did him in. There were also a few other machines he didn't understand. Among those machines were containers housing toy parts like legs, arms, torsos, etc. Off to the side was a stack of cardboard boxes and styrofoam. In another section of the room were rolls of different fabric. It seemed Warrick had somehow constructed his own private toy factory within the warehouse. But why? He had gone to the trouble of rescuing toys. Did he make them as well? Then Andy thought about Marvelo's minions. Warrick had enhanced them all. Perhaps this was how he had done it, or maybe he did make some of his own toys. Either way, he was certain Marvelo didn't get his powers from down here. He turned to see what Woody thought of this and saw him staring at the sight with a shocked and sick expression.

"Woody! Are you all right? What's wrong?" he cried as he tried to shake the cowboy out of it. The last thing he needed was for him to freeze up. "Woody, please!"

"It's...it's, a toy, factory," he said in a horrified voice. His eyes scanned every unnerving scene within the room; from the conveyer belted machines to the vats of bubbling plastic, and finally to what appeared to be a grave of toys with parts sticking out of boxes. Woody closed his eyes and turned away. "I know you might not understand this Andy, but, for a toy, this room is like a hospital and a graveyard combined. Not many of us wish to see how we were, well, put together, or taken apart."

Andy frowned then glanced back down at the room. He supposed he could understand why he would see it that way. He could see it even more since he had been previously strapped down and headed for destruction on a similar contraption. In fact, this whole experience had brought him an entire new appreciation for toys.

"Guess I picked the wrong door. Let's get out of here," he told him as he placed a hand on his shoulder. Just then, a door farther down on the same landing as they were burst open. Marvelo stood before a group of his minions Pinky, Jack, T-Bone, the G.I Joe and the cop. Their worst fears were realized. They had been caught and Andy still wasn't up too speed enough to run for it. Marvelo tooka few steps forward, a wide grin spread across his face.

"Well now, what do we have here? A couple of law-breakers?" he asked.

Back in the basement the rest of Warrick's toys, along with the kids, were chatting rapidly about the best way to handle the situation. They still hadn't reached a proper solution, being that there were still some holes in Warrick and Marvelo's intentions. None of them knew where he kept the formula to make them big, nor did they know anything about their future plans with the children. Aslo, they weren't quite sure how to deal with Marvelo, let alone Warrick. Buzz had no real experience in bringing a human down and since Warrick was apart of this whole thing, he knew something drastic would have to be done. But how? Only Woody had some experience in stopping a human, but that human had been a boy; this was a man they were dealing with, and an old one at that. He was pretty sure talking to him would do no good. But they were running out of time. Woody still hadn't shown up with Andy. If something had gone wrong, he needed to be there for them, but he also needed to take command of this group. He whistled to quiet them down.

"All right all right guys! We don't have a lot of time to waste," Buzz cried. "I think the best thing we should do is to scout out Warrick's office for any clues for a way to help these kids."

As Buzz was giving his speech, Warrick was making his way down the stairs to the basement. Thoughts of guilt still plagued his mind. He kept muttering to himself about how wrong it all seemed now. It was all going too far for him, but he couldn't go back now. He just couldn't.

"Maybe I am too much of a softy, like Marvelo said," Warrick told himself. "Maybe some of the things we've done were a bit, harsh. But I can fix it. I can make the children happier here. I'll start by taking out that cryogenic opperation and the paralysis agent. That's much too severe a punishment. Then it's on to making the kids feel more comfortable. Just a little redecorating, yeah, that will do."

He was starting to feel much better now. He felt he could take back the control Marvelo seemed to be stealing away from him. He was smiling now, as he rounded the corner, not the least bit nervous on seeing the kids again.

"Hello children, I have wonderful news, I..." Immediately his grin fell to confusion at the sight of the empty cages. "What the.." He stopped as he scratched his head and looked up at the clock. According to the time, the kids should be in their cages for a rest break. Aside from the fact that there were no kids, there were no toys. He walked around the cages to the play area. "What is going on around...here." He trailed off at the sight that lay before him. All the children and all his toys were grouped together around a few new toys he didn't recognize. The main one catching his eye was a Buzz lightyear that stood atop a raised platform. Their voices had instantly died away at the sight of him. All they could do was stare back at each other. A large elephant wearing suspenders and standing on two legs, poked at a small wind up mouse.

"This is akward," he whispered to him.

Woody glared at Marvelo and stepped in front of Andy for his protection. He was dying to run over there, grab him by the beard and strangle him with it. But he was out numbered and Andy needed him. He wasn't going to be able to run just yet. While Woody was fuming, Marvelo was smiling.

"It seems the fault of this situation lies with, me. I timed your paralysis wrong and I shouldn't have left your cowboy unguarded."

"Well you're too late to do anything about it!" cried Andy.

"Oh is that so?" asked the wizard. He snapped his fingers, which signaled his minions to take action. "Boys, why don't you see if there's anything you can, _do about it_."

They started to advance, slowly. They knew Woody and Andy had no way out, except to go down the stairs. But they also knew Andy's state wasn't fully recovered from the injection. Andy side-stepped, a little too quickly and stumbled. Woody caught his arm before he fell. They wouldn't make it halfway down the stairway. He quickly looked around and caught sight of a narrow walkway stretching across the middle of the room close to the ceiling. There were all kinds of hooks and edges up there among the beams and pipes of the ceiling. He had an idea, however, it was very risky. He pulled out his pullstring, gathering it in his hands like rope.

"What are you doing?" Andy asked.

Woody kept pulling until he could pull no more. Then he climbed up onto the rail. "Come on Andy."

Without question, Andy climbed up to him. "Woody, what are we-"

Andy didn't understand it, but Warrick's toys did. They rushed over to them, but they were too late. So was Andy. He quickly got the idea as Woody swung the end like a lasso and aimed for one of the hooks above. The ring caught on the first try. Andy was about to say something to stop him. This was the kind of thing heroes did in movies, not in real life. He didn't get the chance as Woody grabbed ahold of him around his waist. "Hold on tight partner." Woody jumped up. Andy tightened his grip as they swung forward. Woody found there was some difference in swinging with a human as opposed to a ragdoll cowgirl. Plus, the swing was much shorter when he saved Jessie from the plane, and a lot less dangerous. Andy and Woody screamed as they arched over the vats. The hook the ring had caught on wasn't that long, which meant if anything went wrong, they'd find themselves lost in the deadly pools below. Woody just concentrated on securing Andy to his side during the trip. He had to have faith they'd be okay. Their swing was arching right up for the walkway. Just as the tips of their feet hit the landing, the ring slipped from the hook. Woody pinwheeled as he felt himself falling backward off the walkway, but Andy grabbed him and pulled him forward. They had made it. Back at the other landing, Marvelo had stepped up to the rail, looking furious. His comrades were gathered behind him, staring in awe. They had literally slipped out of their hands, but they were still trapped. Marvelo had hope he could still stop them. He immediately hurried down the stairs.

"Come on you idiots, we're not letting them get the best of us!"

"But boss, I don't think-"Pinky started to say, but was instantly silenced by the wizard's deranged look.

"Don't think! Just do as I say!" he shrieked.

Near the end of the first landing of stairs was a box with a pile of various vehicles that were in need of adjustments from Warrick. He quickly rumaged through the pile and proceeded to pull out what looked like an old fashioned plane in the fashion of a glider. Along with it was a remote control which he tossed to the G.I. Joe doll.

"Make yourselves useful for a change!" he demanded.

The toys exchanged uncertain looks. They didn't like what Marvelo was planning, but they couldn't stop him.

On the walkway, Woody and Andy were still catching their breaths. Andy was hunched over, but he was staring at Woody in shock and admiration.

"Woody, I can't believe you just, you just...how did you-"

"Well," he panted. "It worked when I saved Jessie, so I thought.." He looked up to see Andy's face full of pride. It was a daring and frightning move, but it had worked.

"Thanks," said Andy, and Woody knew it was a thanks for so much more.

Woody nodded. "Are you feeling better now?"

"I think so. I think that drug finally wore off," said Andy as he stood and tried to grasp how he felt. The stiffness was completely gone. He then took notice of the landing itself. It was old and rickety. Andy assumed Warrick had, for some reason, built it just for the toys to cross from above. It seemed unlikely as Woody had just finished explaining to them that such a place was unnerving for a toy to be in. But after what he'd gone through, Andy didn't think these toys would be bothered by anything too gruesome. Especially the wizard. But apparently the walkway was not in use anymore. It was closed off from each exit by beams and piping.

"Ah, Woody? How do we get down from here?"

Woody frowned in slight annoyance with himself for not seeing they were trapped. But in the spur of the moment, he wasn't thinking about the safety of this walkway; he just needed a quick escape from the wizard and his crew. Woody studied both ends, then pointed to one where the pipes made a small opening. Perhaps they could fit through.

"There, let's see if we can slip through that opening."

"All right," Andy agreed. "But we'd better be careful."

They quickly hurried down to the other end. The walkway creaked slightly, but their small weight was enough to keep them from danger. As they ran, the only thing occupying Andy's mind was the next step toward freedom, but the obvious problem still remained. How were they going to deal with Warrick and all his toys? And more importantly than that, how were they going to deal with the tyrant Marvelo? Andy hadn't looked around to see how the wizard responded to their escape. He just wanted to get away. Suddenly he stumbled over something round and went crashing to the floor. The bridge shuttered in response. Woody turned to see his owner on the floor. He didn't take notice of the crystal ball rolling out of sight.

"Andy!" he hurried to help him up, but then they both froze in their movements as they saw Marvelo not too far behind them. He was stepping out of a blue and green glider plane which had been opperated to meet them by the G.I Joe down below. Rather than having his mystical wand in hand, he carried a large steel pipe. Woody was disturbed to see how angry he was. His face was contorted in a way that made him look quite deranged.

"You think, you can destroy my plans and get away so easily?" he asked in a dangerously low voice. "Not without punishment boy!"

Woody had had enough. He stepped before Andy and confronted the wizard again. "Why can't you just leave him alone! Why can't you leave all these kids alone!" Woody yelled. "They don't deserve this!"

"They deserve everything they get!" yelled the wizard. "They deserve to get punished for the way they treated us!"

His words carried to the comrades below. The whole kidnapping scheme was suppose to be for their benefit. It was supposed to be funtime, not punishment time. Never had they heard the wizard claim that the real reason he wanted to kidnap kids was to torture them for what he had experienced. It should have been clear. Marvelo had never once engaged in any play with the kids. He was only bent on securing inhumane forms of punishments when they got out of line.

"Humans, are suppose to have what we don't-hearts! To love us, but they don't!"

"You're wrong!" Andy cried.

Marvelo cackled loudly. "And you're dead!"

He jumped forward swinging the pipe. Woody got in the way and was hit with the full force of it. Woody tumbled to the ground. The wizard went for the cowboy again. He rolled over and the wizard missed. Woody quickly sprang up and tackled him to the ground.

"It's over Merlin!"

"Merlin!" he cried in great offense. "That's worse than Dumbledore!"

He kicked Woody away and got to his feet. Before Woody had time to get up, Marvelo was already raising his pipe.

"Sorry it had to be this way," Marvelo pretended to apologize. He made to bring the pipe down but was tackled from behind by Andy. Marvelo stumbled around as Andy tried to grab for his pipe.

Warrick's mind was whirling at the sight. From the look of it, they were starting some kind of revolution. Warrick didn't know what to make of that idea, but he knew he couldn't handle it.

"What are you toys...What's going on here?" he demanded.

"That's what we'd like to know!" Buzz demanded.

Warrick paused to stare. He was sure that Buzz lightyear wasn't one of his toys. Where had he come from?

"We learned about what you and your toys are doing here," he continued. "And we're going to put a stop to it."

"You" Warrick cried as he pointed at him. "Where'd you come from?"

"We come from Andy's house. We were bringing him to you to-"

"Davis?" Warrick interrupted. "That Davis boy that's caused so much..Nevermind. It doesn't matter. My toys! Put those kids back in their cages this instant!"

Many of the kids cowered back, except for Cole.

"We're not going back!" he shouted. "We want to go home!"

Warrick glared. "You are home, or have you forgotten who's been taking care of you. And to think, I was about to make changes around here. Well you can forget it. If you won't put them back in your cages, then I will!"

He'd had enough of toys telling him what to do, even though the only toy who bothered telling him what to do was Marvelo. He wasn't about to let the other toys take over as well. He charged forward. The kids screamed and would have scattered if it weren't for Warrick's toys ushering them out of his way. Buzz signaled to Jessie who nodded and turned to the elephant toy across from her. Being that they were in the play area, there were plenty of things they could use against him. The best weapon was the jump rope in Jessie's hand. If it hadn't already been done when they were dealing with Alissa, Buzz wasn't sure he'd have thought of it. Warrick was too bent on rounding up the children that he didn't notice the plan beneath his feet. In the chaos of toys trying to escape and kids running for their freedom, one toy stepped forward to stop the hysterical giant. Harry Potter stood in Warrick's path and raised his wand.

"Only an accomplice of Voldemort's would go so far. Petrificus totalis!"

Jessie had already tossed the other end of the jump rope to the elephant. Together they pulled and held their ground as Warrick caught the rope and fell forward. The panicking crowd quickly hurried out of his path as he came crashing to the floor. There was a few moments of silence as they all took in what they had done, specifically Warrick's toys. Harry Potter stepped forward as he pocketed his wand.

"And to think they thought I wasn't a real wizard."

Warrick coughed and made to get back to his feet. Buzz signaled to the toys nearby.

"Tie him down! We can't let him get away!"

They wasted no time in wrapping the rope around the struggling old man. Warrick made to roll over but stopped at the number of his own toys, mainly soldiers of all kind, military and fantasy, pointing their own weapons which had been enhanced by him. Warrick stilled as he gazed back at them. He knew how dangerous he'd made some of those toys.

Marvelo was still struggling to get Andy off of him and eventually ended up knocking him in the stomach with his elbow. Andy pulled off, but the wizard didn't back down. He spun and knocked him with the pipe causing Andy to hit the railing of the walkway. The rail shook from the sudden impact. The wind was temporarily knocked out of him. His vision was turning, but he could still see Marvelo grinning at him. He started to come forward, ready to finish him off. Woody had seen what he'd done and wasn't about to let him harm Andy anymore. He grabbed the pipe and pulled. They were locked in a dangerous tug-o-war.

"Give it to me!" the wizard demanded. "Now! You don't understand!"

"NO!" Woody yelled. "You don't understand! You're out of your mind!"

The wizard laughed quietly. "Maybe, to you. But I'll not let you get the best of me." He pushed the pipe toward Woody, hitting him in the stomach. Marvelo kept pushing until he had him againgst the obstruction of pipes and beams. Woody grimaced as he continued to push the pipe into him. Soon there would be a hole in his center.

"Why can't you understand?" Marvelo growled. "Why can't you understand, that kids will only hurt and abandon you in the end. And that goes for your precious owner!"

"NO!" Woody shouted as he used his rage to gather strength. He grabbed the pipe and pushed it back into Marvelo who sidestepped out of the way. He pulled the pipe from Woody's grasp, reeled back and swung it like a bat. He connected with Woody who went tumbling away from him to the side of the walkway where part of the rail had been broken away. Woody rolled to the edge and slipped over, but he was able to catch himself on the end. The walkway shook dangerously from the sudden movements and slightly swayed with the cowboy holding onto the edge for dear life, dangling over one of the vats of boiling wax.

No sooner had it happened did Andy start to come out of the hit. He shook himself and got to his feet. Marvelo was already hurrying up to him.

"Now, it's your turn boy!"

He swung and Andy ducked. If only he had something to defend himself with. Andy turned just as Marvelo tackled him to the floor, pushing the pipe against his throat. Andy tried to push back to keep him from strangling him, but the wizard was stronger than he thought.

"I really underestimated you boy! I didn't think you'd be this much trouble. But you won't be once you suffer the same fate as your worthless cowboy!"

Andy kicked out, catching him off guard. He pulled back with the pipe. Andy rolled over and got to his feet. He pulled his fists up in front of him, preparing to defend himself. He never was one for fighting, but he'd had more than enough of this demonic toy. There was no helping him. No way to get him to see the light. He was just... nuts...plain and simple. Marvelo laughed at Andy's willingness to go hand to plastic combat. Marvelo too prepared himself.

"You think it will be that easy?" he teased.

"Ha, try me," Andy said seriously.

Marvelo came forward, pipe swinging again. Andy dodged it. Marvelo struck for him again. He struck him in his side, but Andy caught himself before he completely lost his footing. Marvelo brought it down, striking the floor by mistake. Andy used the opportunity to punch him, knocking him back some. Marvelo bared his teeth.

"That's for what you put me and my friends through."

Marvelo growled and rushed forward. Andy dodged and dodged again. It was tiring the wizard out. Meanwhile Woody was still hanging on for his life. He tried to pull himself back up, but he couldn't. The floor creaked under him, giving him the horrible feeling that it might break away at any minute. He couldn't see what was happening above. All he could make out were the sounds of battle, but he couldn't tell who had the upperhand.

Andy dodged again and Marvelo veered far to the side. He was becoming so desperate that he was making careless moves to attack him. It allowed Andy to stay out of harms way. It was time to end this while the wizard was wearing down. They were a lot closer to the rail than before. Marvelo swung again and veered to side once more. Upon that veer, Andy struck another punch. This one more powerful that the first.

"That's for good toys!" he cried. The punch was strong enough to shock Marvelo into dropping the pipe. It rolled away from him and fell off the edge, into one of the vats below. Woody saw it fall out of the corner of his eye. He knew if he didn't get back up on the landing, that would be him sinking below that wax.

Marvelo staggered back close to the rail. Andy reared back his right fist again.

"And this is for their boys and girls everywhere!"

It came forward with all the pain, anger and stress that the wizard had caused. Everything he had done coming back to him in full force. His fist connected with the side of his face. Marvelo fell back against the rail that had been weakened when Andy crashed into it. But upon the wizard's impact, it broke apart.

He was falling.

Falling.

Falling right toward a giant vat. The failed wizard was screaming. Whether screaming from the fact that he was about to be doomed, or because a human had defeated him, Andy didn't know. All he did know was how Marvelo was going to meet his end. And sure enough, within seconds, the wizard went plummeting into a vat of hot boiling plastic. It was an eerie sight. The last thing Andy saw was his hand, slightly trembling, making one final grasping motion for him before sinking below and becoming one with the liquid.

There was another creak. Woody was losing his grip. This was it. The landing creaked again and Woody's hands slipped. Woody started to scream, but was stopped when he realized he wasn't falling. Something had saved him. Something warm and soft had grabbed onto his hand. Woody looked up to see that Andy had gotten ahold of him. He smiled in relief and Andy smiled back.

"I won't let you fall either, partner," Andy told him, echoing Woody's own words to him from long ago. In fact, this rescue had echoed the first time they had officially met. Andy pulled him back onto the landing. The walkway rocked, but they weren't concerned about that at the moment. They were free of the wizard, but it had been done in a most horrible way. At the thought of it, a nauseaing feeling rose in Andy's stomach. He looked at the broken rail where the wizard had fallen and Woody followed his gaze. He had heard the scream and the terrible splash. Woody placed a hand on his shoulder. It seemed his owner was finally understanding some of the things that disturbed toys. "It's over Andy."

"Yeah, but..."

"It couldn't be helped."

Andy nodded. "He had it coming." He turned away, not wanting to think anymore about it. Neither did Woody, but he was proud that Andy was not so heartless that he wanted his enemies to meet such a demise. He understood there was no reasoning with him.

"You all right?" he asked.

Andy nodded. "Yeah."

"Then let's get out of here."

But the walkway creaked again. It was going to be tricky to get out of this situation. But they were certain it would be no more difficult than their constant struggle with the wizard, who had finally met his demise.

**Ooooooooh yyyyeeeeaaaaah! That wizard is toast! Or I should say a melting pile of goo.**

**I can practically hear you all celebrating (Especially if you send me your reviews!) I couldn't wait to write this chapter. The battle of toy vs. human. Originally, I think I planned for Woody to have some major part in Marvelo's defeat, but then I knew Andy had to be the one to do it (and to do it for good toys and the kids). After his battle I made it more of a toy vs. human with the toys attacking Warrick. Kind of a reversal for the TS series; toys and humans siding against each other. I hope you recalled the beginning scene where Woody had saved Andy from falling off the desk. Here, it's the reverse. How could I not put that in here. It's classic now.**

**Woody may not have had a major hand in Marvelo's defeat, but on the bright side, Harry Potter had a hand ( or at least he thinks he does) in taking down Warrick. So now things seem resolved...right? The wizard is down, Warrick is down.**

**But it's not over yet! This was quite a battle sequence, but it's minimal compared to the climatic end! And guess what.**

**THAT'S IN THE NEXT CHAPTER!**

**So keep up with the reviews and I'll treat you to a fight that may proove to be epic!**


	33. Chapter 33

**disclaimer: I don't own Toy Story**

**Ah man finally all my essays for class are done. I can start finishing this story up. Okay. We last left off with Andy and Woody triumphing over that blasted wizard. The next step is to take care of Warrick, not to mention his toys..and of course the kids. This chapter features another climatic battle, and I'm sure you'll appreciate it (I hope you will) cause it was such a pain to write all the little details. But it wouldn't have been as satisfying if I didn't. Still following this fic as a movie. So enjoy the final take down!**

Wrong Side Right Side

The walkway creaked again and gave a great jolt. Andy and Woody barely got their balance. It didn't take a genius to know that the bridge was about to fall apart. They would have to get down before they wound up in a vat like Marvelo. But it could happen anyways. They were going down.

"Woody!" Andy cried, hoping his simple cry would acknowledge all the dangerous possibilities of the curent situation.

"I know," Woody assured him, as the walkway creaked again. "We have to-"

He was interrupted as the walkway gave a short drop.

Back on the stairwell, Marvelo's gang hadn't moved an inch; not since they'd seen him fall. The control to the glider that the G.I Joe had been controlling, dropped from his hand in shock. For the moment, all he and the others could do was stare at the vat which had been the cause of his destruction. No. That wasn't the full reason. When they heard the creak, they looked up at the troublesome survivors. The real cause of their leader's end. Naturally they knew that one of them must issue the order to stop them; to do what the wizard could not, but upon truly seeing and hearing the monster underneath, they wavered with their interest in following him. To them, the kidnappings were for playtime. It shouldn't have turned into something more. It shouldn't have turned into him destroying toys who didn't follow behind him. Nonetheless, time was running out. Jack stepped forward as he glared up at Woody and Andy with his one good eye.

"They won't be getting away so easy fellas," he growled menacingly. "Not after what they did to Marvelo."

The walkway creaked again causing Woody and Andy to fall to its floor. There seemed to be only one way out and that was with the glider.

"Come on!" Woody cried as he quickly helped Andy up. Together, they both hurried to the other end, straight for the glider. The rickety walkway bounced from their running and came down a small ways again. They both used the rails to keep from falling back. By now, the end of the walkway was leaning down part way, like a slide. They would only have just enough time to get to the other end before the slope became deeper. Once they had made it, they found there was just enough room for two with one person in the front and the other in back. Woody quickly got in front and Andy hopped in the back. Being a toy glider, he assumed Woody would have some experience opperating it-provided that it could even be opperated. He had never owned any kind of flying toy, aside from Buzz.

But the moment they had seated themselves, they quickly realized they wouldn't have to pilot the toy. The walkway gave it's loudest creak and one final drop. It became a deep slide with the exit hovering over the floor below. The glider began to roll to the end. Woody had just enough time to cry out to Andy to "Hang on!" as the falling walkway also started swerving in the direction over the conveyered machines. Woody and Andy screamed as the glider picked up speed. Its wheels scrapping along the rusted grated floor issued sparks around them. The glider trembled from it's mistreatment as it was nearing the end. Andy hoped they were high enough for the glider to sail over the hazards of the factory below them. More than that, he hoped none of Marvelo's assisstants would try to steer them wrong with the controller.

The glider reached the end just as the walkway stopped it's swerving and falling. It's wings caught the air and it started to sail over the conveyers. But it was losing altitude. There was a stick shift in front of Woody that had to be its control. Woody pulled it back in the hope that it would lift them up. Nothing was happening. He tried harder, then the brake snapped. It was nothing more than a decoration for the glider. It's only control was from the remote.

"Looks like we're going down!" Woody cried. They were going down, in the direction of one of the machines.

"Turn!" Andy cried. They leaned to left, causing the glider to swerve in that direction. They were out of harms way as the glider was preparing to hit the floor. They braced themselves as it made a landing, rolling fast along the floor and heading toward a group of boxes. Andy and Woody ducked down as they crashed. Luckily it wasn't too bad, for the passengers, but the front did suffer the damage. Woody slowly rose and checked himself for damage. He then gave a sigh of relief, but he quickly turned to Andy.

He too was raising himself up and checking for damage.

"Andy, are you all right?"

"Yeah."

"Then let's get out of here," said Woody as he climbed out of the glider.

"Good idea," Andy agreed as he too climbed out. They hurried out through the room's previously opened doors. They then hurried down a hall in hopes that they would quickly find a way back to the warehouse basement.

Meanwhile, Buzz was still working out the best way to deal with the situation. At the moment, he fetl it was important to locate Andy and Woody, as well as Marvelo before they did anything else. He was explaining this to the group before him after assuring that Warrick was well guarded by several of his own creations.

"Right. Now that we've taken care of Warrick, I think our next goal should be to take care of your leader Marvelo. We also need to track down another member of ours..."

As Buzz was continuing his speech on the next opperation, Warrick had decided to take up struggling against his binds. He wriggled about, but the toys had tied his hands tightly.

"Hey!" a commander toy cried out to him. "What do you think your'e doing? Trying to escape?" Over his shoulder, he carried what looked like a bazooka with an inner light that was faintly glowing blue. Warrick immediately stopped and looked over at him and the other toys. They were readying their weapons in case now was the time to use them. Warrick gasped in surprise.

"You ain't goin nowhere," he continued.

"I can't believe you would do this to me!" Warrick whispered frantically. "Your own owner, who looked after you and-"

"It was Marvelo who looked after us, mostly," said a plastic green slime monster. "Mostly."

"But I was the one who fixed you and made you better than you ever were before. What do you think will happen once that space toy makes off with all your precious children? I'll be done for and so will you, because you'll all end up as garbage." Warrick paused as they exchanged cautious glances with one another. "No one's going to want you after this, and you'll all end up in the _incinerator!"_

At his last words, the guards dropped their weapons and exchanged determined looks.

As the the guards were trying to come to terms with the best move, Andy and Woody were heading down for the bottom floor in one of the makeshift elevators they had found. Woody was opperating the contraption, while Andy was leaning off to the side in order to catch his breath. He hadn't realized until now how tired he had become, and it wasn't so much from the fight with the wizard. It was everything on top of it. Now it was coming to an end, and it couldn't have come sooner. Tomorrow his mother would be coming home. If he didn't get out of this today, he didn't know what he was going to do, or how he was going to explain what had happened to him; especially after learning the side-effects of the cure (provided there was anymore left). Andy shook his head. Right now he needed to calm down and worry about reaching the others.

"We'll be out of this soon Andy," Woody assured him as they neared the bottom. "We'll find that cure, and this whole nightmare will be over. But, at least we'll have the memories of what we've been through together."

Woody smiled warmly at him as his thoughts shifted to their happy times together during the adventure. Andy wanted to reply, to tell him that the nightmare really would be over. That they wouldn't have their memories of what they'd been through as he and all the other kids would forget it, but he couldn't bring himself to say it. He shut his opened mouth and focused on their approach to the floor.

When they hit bottom, they were surprised to see that they weren't immediately seized by Warrick's toys. This was one of three elevators leading down to the third floor. In fact, it was on the opposite side of the room, near Warrick's office and away from the play area and all the other toys. Nonetheless they were careful as they took their exit. As they proceeded to walk quietly down the hall, they strained their ears for any sound of voices. They could hear mumbled voices and toys rustling about.

"Where are Buzz and the others?" Andy asked Woody.

"They've got to be around here somewhere," Woody whispered back.

Suddenly the sound of wheels stopped them in their tracks. Andy held out a hand for Woody to stop.

"What was that?" he asked.

"I don't know, but it sounds like it's coming from.." Woody trailed off as he and Andy stared ahead. The sound was approaching them, but they didn't see the source until it turned the corner on the right of the storage room they were walking alongside of. They both gasped in shock at the new arrival, then Woody's face broke into a grin.

"Hey RC! It's good to see you're okay," said Woody as the blue and green race car drove right up to him. Woody knelt down and laid a hand ontop of its headlights. "I hoped you guys would be okay down here."

RC hummed happily at his reunition with the cowboy. Then his attention turned to Andy. His owner from long ago who had recently discarded him in a yard sale. Andy too stared back at him, with much surprise.

"RC," said Andy, slightly choked up at the sight of him. "What are you...how did you..."

"We traveled all the way to Warrick's in hope of finding you," Woody explained. "And not only did we find out where you were, but we also found a few old friends. If it hadn't been for RC, we might not have been able to come all this way."

Andy's surprise quickly faded to guilt. As Woody stood aside, Rc rolled up to Andy and looked up at him with large eyes. Even though the toy racer lacked obvious facial expressions, Andy still got the message. He was hurt that Andy threw him away, but there was no real time to explain how much he had learned about his toys and how they felt about such things. But from the look on Rc, Andy realized he didn't have to say it. Rc understood.

"Rc,...thanks."

Rc gave a quick bounce and hum as a way of saying "Your welcome". Sadly their warm touching moment was broken by a sudden roar from Warrick's office behind them. They turned in time to see Alazar, the knight's dragon that Andy had been forced to defend himself against. He was shaking his head angrily and issuing jets of hot steamy mist from his snout. If anything, it looked like his ability had become even more dangerous with the help of Warrick as Andy was able to feel the heat of his mist from where he was standing. He stopped when he noticed Andy who was frozen on the spot. The dragon gave another cry then started flapping his wings to rise in the air. Woody threw his arms up in frustration.

"Oh it never ends!" he complained.

"Hop in cowboy!" Andy ordered as he jumped behind the steering wheel of Rc. This time he would be taking control. Woody hurried in behind him. Andy quickly saw the changes of his old toy; something he might not have noticed before, but he didn't take the time to be shocked by them. He immediately grabbed the wheel and stepped on the gas. Rc reved up and hurried out of the area. Alazar roared and quickly followed behind them. They made it to the end of the corner and made a right. Alazar roared and shot a heavy jet of scalding mist. Andy swerved the car wildly in a zigzag pattern to avoid it. Woody was barely able to hang on.

"I don't think your way of driving is legal!" Woody cried, frightened that Andy's driving would dislodge him from his seat.

"Give me a break, I haven't got my license yet," Andy called back.

They had passed the storage area and were quickly reaching the end. Andy made a left, headed for the direction of the play area. Here the other toys were, already spreading out to track down the wizard along with the spaceman's companions. But Andy and Woody wasn't clearly seeing them as their view was obstructed by a large play prop of a model bridge made of what looked like heavy clay blocks. The clearance seemed high enough for Rc to pass through and for that reason, Woody and Andy ducked. Alazar, in his fit of madness, saw that he was nearing his prey. He ducked down in an effort to at least snatch up the cowboy. But it caused him to miss seeing the large bridge until it was too late.

The dragon went crashing through another makeshift structure. Clay blocks went flying everywhere as the bridge collasped ontop of the dragon. One brick got caught on Rc's back wheel, causing him to swerve. The chaos was immediately noticed by Buzz and the others as they paused to watch what was spinning out of control in their direction.

"Rc?" Buzz questioned. He gasped. "Everyone, get out of the way!"

Andy tried to gain control as the car continued to spin. It was headed right for Buzz's platform. Buzz had just enough time to jump off of it before the car went crashing into it. Rc was finally at a stop. His eyes rolled a bit from the experience but he was okay. Woody and Andy groaned as they regained their senses.

"Ah man, if that was Driver's Ed," Andy muttered as he rubbed the back of his head.

"You'd be taking the bus for the rest of your life," Woody completed as he shook his head to keep his eyes from spinning.

Upon hearing their voices, Buzz looked up from his position where he'd fallen to the floor.

"Woody?" He pulled himself up and hurried over to them. "Andy! Woody!"

"Buzz!" they both cried.

"You found him. Good work cowboy!"

"I may have found him," said Woody as he placed a hand on Andy's shoulder. "But I would never have made it back here without him."

Andy laughed then he took notice of the rest of his toys as they came forward.

"Andy, you're all right!" Slinky cried as Andy bent down to pull him and Rex into a tight hug.

"I am now that you guys are here," he cried happily.

"I knew you could do it Woody," said Mr. Potato Head.

"You did not," Hamm accused.

"Did to," Potato Head argued back.

"Andy?"

The small celebration was settled as Jessie and Bullseye stepped forward. Jessie looked back at Andy with a hopeful, yet relieved look.

"Jessie? Bullseye, what are you doing here?" he asked.

Jessie glanced at the horse and smiled. "Well we had to help rescue you of course! And, besides that,..." Jessie hadn't realized how concerned she had been about her latest owner all the time he had been away. She suddenly threw her arms around him in a fearful embrace, much like Andy had done to Woody. "I was worried about you."

After getting over of her sudden tenderside, Andy smiled softly and patted her back.

"It's okay Jessie."

"I'd hate to lose another owner," Jessie admitted. She didn't admit how she meant it, but didn't need to.

"Well you guys haven't lost me yet."

That's right," said Buzz. "Now let's see if we can get you back to normal. Get all of you back to normal."

"Right," Andy agreed, but then he paused as he felt something wasn't quite right. Not once had their celebration been interrupted by the other group of toys around them. He also noticed that it wasn't just Warrick's toys surrounding them. There were kids mixed in the bunch. They weren't in cages or being harrassed to play. Surely Warrick's toys would have been stunned to see him and instantly grab him, then haul him back to the cage. And surely they would have done something with his toys since they saw they were here to save him. But none of them made a move. They simply watched, curious, fascinated. They were like a completely different bunch of toys. "Ah,...Buzz? What's going on here?"

"I'll tell you what's going on!"

They all turned as Warrick entered the play area. His hands were fists at his sides and his face was contorted in anger. Near his legs were the guards who were suppose to be watching him, with their weapons. Instead, their weapons were pointed back at the group of toys and kids. The group took a cautious step back, causing Warrick to smile with satisfaction.

"Mutiny! You think you can make a fool of me? Take advantage of me? Well I won't let you. Just when I was considering making your living space more comfortable, you toys, and you kids pull something like this! Well I'm not going down without a good fight."

"I'm not surprised to hear that!" Andy shouted. "Your wizard doll did the same."

"What?" asked Warrick confused.

"He's gone, Wendal," Andy practically taunted. He then turned his focus to the rest of the cast, particularly Warrick's toys. "He's been destroyed."

Silence followed his words. Immediately the toys started exchanging glances and whispering to one another. Warrick looked back and forth between his toys and Andy, looking more confused than ever.

"Wha, wha, what do you mean, destroyed?" he asked, breaking the moment of the news.

"What do you think I mean? He's gone. And now you don't have a reason to do this anymore, to listen to some plastic plaything. I mean he was insane! You can't keep children locked up like this and force them to, play!"

Warrick's eyes still shifted about the group. His face was contorted as if he were considering what Andy was saying. "Insane," he said quietly. " I suspected it may have been my fault. He tried to take things too far. He tried to take over, like he was in charge. I am in charge, and what I say goes! I can't,...there's no turning back now. Not after how far Marvelo's brought me."

"It doesn't have to be like this!" Buzz announced.

"I'm afraid it does. There's no turning back toys! None whatsoever. If you allow this spaceman and this, boy to tell you any different. If you believe what he says, then you will find yourselves in the dumps, because these children have no respect, no love for you."

"They did before you did this to them!" Andy cried. "As I tried to tell your wizard friend, growing up is a part of life. And it's about time you grew up too!"

Warrick sighed and briefly looked away as a sudden saddness rose within him. "I'm sorry Marvelo, old friend," he whispered quietly to himself. "I won't let this deed be undone. Get them!"

The slime monster was the first to strike. He raised up a small canon that began firing blobs of green gunk into the air. The few toys it hit found themselves trapped in the sticky substance. The kids started to scream and run, followed by the other toys.

"Get every child to safety!" Buzz ordered the toys who hadn't turned against him. But then the other companions began using their weapons as well as they hurried forward and tried to get ahold of the prisoners. Golf sized balls were raining down on them, knocking toys aside who tried to move the kids out of the way. It was a battlefield and Warrick was in the middle, laughing at the chaos around him. A little blonde, pigtailed girl in a ballerina costume ducked just in time and missed a blob of slime that passed over her head and hit the side of a castle wall. She paused to take a breath, but looked up as a shadow loomed over her. The superhero toys she had been playing a damsel in distress to, cornered her against the wall.

"I've been thinking, I don't make a very good superhero, so maybe I'll make a very good supervillian," he said with a wicked smile as he advanced on her. The young girl put up a brave face and prepared for the worst, but she didn't have to. There was a yodeling sound and the superhero toy was flattened to the floor as Jessie jumped ontop of him.

"You don't make a very good toy ontop of all that," Jessie told him as she held him down. "Quick, get me something to tie him with!"

The girl looked around and pulled off a piece of wire from one of the other sets. She handed it off to Jessie who hogtied the new villian.

"Thank you," said the girl.

"No problem. Now let's get you out of harm's way." She grabbed the girl's hand and started leading her out of the area. "I'm Jessie by the way!"

"My name's Emily!"

At the mention of the familiar name, Jessie paused and stared back at her in surprise.

"What's wrong?" asked Emily.

Though she didn't have the resemblance of her previous owner, she couldn't help feeling nostalgic. "I used to have an owner named Emily."

Emily gave her a small smile. Storm troopers stormed by, along with a few other toys who decided to switch sides. Still Warrick's toys were out numbered. The knight was in the middle of a thrilling sword fight with a robinhood toy who set aside his bow and quiver weapon.

"You fight splendidly, more so than that boy Andy!" he complimented.

"Of course I do," said Robinhood. "I was trained."

Watching them at a close range was the knight's old owner, the blonde-headed boy. He was looking between the two nervously,not sure whether the knight was trying to protect him or keep Robinhood away so he could have him for himself.

"That maybe so," the knight agreed. "But you can't out-duel me."

"Oh no?" asked Robinhood, who suddenly turned his sword against the knight's blade, causing it to fly out of his hand. It was then impaled in the fake mountain set where Alazar had chased Andy. The knight gasped as Robin held the sword up to his throat and backed him into the side of the large pirate ship set.

"Oh my," the knight gulped. "I seemed to have misplaced my sword."

Robin grinned. "And now you're about to misplace your head!" He raised his sword, ready to decapitate the knight when he felt a poke in his back. He turned and looked down to see the blonde boy poking the sword in his back.

"My knight's already been hurt once, and you're not going to make it worse," cried the boy.

The knight smiled in gratitude. Robin turned to better face him. He started to raise his sword on him but was stopped with a terrible cry from above. On the pirate ship, Several pirate toys had lined up and were swinging from the ropes of the sails. Robinhood didn't stand a chance as four of them swung into him, by command of the captain above the ship.

"You'll not be trying an act like that you scurvy rat!" cried the captain, a blackbeard type toy. He saluted the knight and boy who saluted back. The knight then turned to the boy and patted his shoulder.

"Well done my boy. No toy could have been prouder!" The young boy beamed.

Andy and Woody barely managed to duck behind a set of buildings and cars as a soldier with a BB gun started firing shots over their heads. The steel pellets were powerful enough to break the plexiglass material used for the windows. Pieces of it rained down on Woody and Andy.

"This is crazy!" Andy cried. "How are we going to stop this?"

There didn't seem to be a way. The other toys were doing their best in keeping the kids safe and/or escorting them out of the area. He saw Rex running for his life, away from the dinosaur in purple pants who was swinging a spiked club. Slinky stretched in front of him and caused him to trip. He then confiscated his weapon and took off with it. He also saw Rc race by with a group of three kids in his seat. He was forced to stop when the large one-eyed Jack jumped in front of him. Andy gasped at seeing the toys they left behind on the second floor. Next to the bunny, was Pinky and T-Bone. They grinned down at the little race car.

"Going somewhere?" asked the rabbit. Then something heavy landed behind them and gave a frightening roar. The rabbit, gorilla, and the wrestler turned slowly to see the dragon Alazar glaring at them. Pinky and T-Bone ran for it while Jack was forced to feel the intense heat from the dragon's spray. He was suddenly blinded by the mist and stumbled backwards to get out of the way. A group of eight kids, including Cole as the leader hurried forward under his command of "CHARGE!" They came with pins and ropes and began tying him down. The rabbit tried to struggle but he was no match for a whole group of boys and girls. Alazar then turned to Rc, but instead of attacking the quivering car, he winked at him. Rc winked back.

Buzz picked up an abandoned bow and quiver and starting shooting them back at the attacking toys. The tips were rubbered so they wouldn't harm anyone. They were, however, strong enough to knock a toy off guard and stick to them like glue. Upon seeing the space ranger in action, the soldier with the BB gun started firing at him. Buzz dodged and rolled and found himself in the hiding spot where Woody and Andy were.

"Looks like escaping is going to be harder than I imagined," Buzz noted.

"Yah think," said Woody as if it were obvious.

Andy peeked around the side and looked back at Warrick. So far he had done nothing to round up the kids. He was simply watching the whole affair, like it was some kind of movie or a video game he was playing. The only thing he did was encourage his toys to take them out.

"Come on you useless bunch of junk! They're just a bunch of stupid toys and helpless kids!"

Andy sneered. So far these kids weren't acting helpless. He had caught sight of many of them restraining or attacking the toys that attacked them. They had had enough and they weren't going to take this treatment anymore. They had found their courage, but that didn't mean they didn't need help. They had to end this and it had to be now.

"We gotta take out Warrick," Andy told Buzz and Woody.

"What?" Woody cried incredously.

"They're taking orders from him. If he's gone, they won't have a reason to fight anymore. We'll have more of an upperhand."

"But how will we-"

Buzz was quickly interrupted with a dark presence looming above them.

"We meet again, Buzz Lightyear!" shouted Zurg.

"Oh no," Buzz groaned in annoyance. Zurg lifted his weapon, which seemed to have gotten an impressive update from Warrick. It was a laser gun that was humming and issuing blue sparks.

"Take cover!" Buzz cried. Buzz, Andy and Woody jumped out of the way just as the laser struck a beam of blue light in the spot they had previously occuppied. It left behind a charred black spot in the side of the car. Zurg's mission should have been to capture the children, but instead, he was bent on getting Buzz. He jumped down to the floor and followed the spaceranger as he zigzagged away from his arch enemies. He was headed in the direction of Mr. Potato Head and Trolly who were shielding a group of nervous kids from the general with the bazooka and two stormtroopers.

"I'm telling you if my wife had packed my other arms, I'd give you a good karate chop!" cried Mr. Potato Head who simulated the action with his current arms.

"You don't have other arms," said the general knowingly, as he lifted his bazooka. "And soon, you won't have a body either."

Buzz hurried up to the general. He looked back and ducked down in time as the laser zapped the general by mistake. Like the G.I Joe, the general was now charred, and his weapon had been shorted out. Seeing their chance, Mr. Potato Head and Trolly advanced on the three.

"Ain't so tough now are we," Mr. Potato Head noticed.

Andy hurried across the battle scene and in and around the playsets, over to Cole's group who were busy celebrating their capture of the rabbit.

"Come on guys, you've got to get away from here!"

"No way, we're not backing down now!" Cole cried. "Remember, it was you who insisted we had to try and do something."

"Then let me do that something," Andy insisted. Cole made to argue but Andy cut him off. "No buts Cole. You and the others need to leave now!"

He didn't wait to see if they did it as he was slipping back to the rocky mountain set. He peeked over the rocks at Warrick and tried to find the best path to take to reach him. It didn't seem possible with the whole floor covered in battling toys and kids. His best move was too leave the area and go all the way around and sneak up on Warrick from behind.

"Andy!"

Andy jumped as Woody's hand fell onto his shoulder. "Geez Woody! You nearly scared me to death!"

"It won't be me doing that if we don't get you to safety. Especially these kids!"

"I know, I know. I think the best way is for me to get behind him."

"And then what?"

"I don't know. Maybe I'll trip him, or lead him away from here."

"Andy that's too dangerous," Woody argued.

"Woody, this whole thing is dangerous!"

"Yoo Hoo! Hey boys! Over here!"

They turned to see that they were not far from the large pink Barbie house. And standing before it was Skipper who was waving at them and pointing to her house.

"Oh boy," Andy groaned. "This is no time for-"

"Andy look out!"

Woody just managed to pull him aside as a large plastic boulder came hurtling toward them and crashed into the rocks. They didn't know which enemy it had come from, but soon, the boulder was followed by a volley of real stones. They hurried into Skipper's house and closed the door behind them. They kneeled over, panting heavily as they tried to catch their breaths.

"Andy...are you, all right?" asked Woody.

"Yeah, I'm good," Andy answered.

"Oh what a relief!" Skipper cried as she threw her arms around him. "You're okay. My boyfriend is okay!"

At this sudden news, Woody quirked a confused eyebrow. "Ah, boyfriend?"

"It's not what you think," said Andy as he struggled to remove her arms. "Look I appreciate your help, but I've gotta go."

"Go," she whined. "But, you just got here."

Andy hurried for the kitchen with Woody right behind him.

"Andy, what are you-"

But Andy didn't wait to answer. He immediately squeezed himself out the side window in the kitchen. Once he was out, he made a dash across the play area and out into the hall. Woody poked his head out the window, calling out his name. Andy stopped part-way and cupped his hands over his mouth.

"Warrick! Hey WARRICK!"

Luckily Warrick had heard him, or perhaps he had caught a glimpse of Andy who his toys were neglecting to seize. He was the cause of this whole thing. He should have been their number one priority.

"You," Warrick growled to himself. He was just about to command his toys to leave the other children and go after Andy. But many of them had been forced out of action. Warrick balled his fists. "You're the reason this whole thing is happening!"

Upon his cry, the toys that had been battling on Warrick's behalf started to settle down. They stopped their firearms and either kept them pointed at their targets or dropped them to their sides. Hamm, who was being threatened by Pinky's large fists took the opportunity to belly flop him while he was watching Warrick.

"And you had nothing to do with it?" Andy shouted.

"Why is it that none of you understand what I am trying to do?" he growled.

"We understand!" cried the knight who was in the position of shielding his owner. "We understand that you're going too far! I went too far, in going along with this." He paused and glanced down at his young boy. "My apologies my boy." In acceptance to his apology, the boy embraced him around the waist.

"Marvelo's gone!" cried a robot who had been threatening the kids with a shock stick weapon. "You're acting just like him!"

"What?" Warrick practically bellowed.

"He's right!" Andy cried. "You're both trying to control something you can't, and you don't really want to do this! Give it up Warrick!"

"I'll never give it up! You ruined...everything!" Warrick shouted. The way he said it made Andy feel he didn't really believe in his words. He felt he had to carry on for Marvelo's sake. "Get him! Toys, get that boy!"

Upon the command, Woody, Buzz and the rest of his toys hurried to Andy's side. They wouldn't go down without a fight either. They would stay and protect their owner, but for the moment, there was no reason to. None of his toys made a move toward Andy. They traded curious looks with one another, but did not go after the one responsible for their broken plans. Warrick looked around at them in disbelief.

"What are you waiting for! Get him!"

"You heard him men!" shouted the general. "Get him!" He raised his bazooka and took aim. A marble sized BB pellet shot forward and struck Warrick in the cheek. Before Warrick could complain, the rest of the toys turned their weapons on him as well. No longer was it a battle between the toys and kids or toys and toys; there was only one battle, and Warrick was outnumbered. Blobs of slime, BB pellets, even small tennis sized balls were fired at their owner, their one time care-taker. Warrick did all he could to cover himself and block out the attack, but it was useless. He stumbled backwards and was met with a sharp shock from the robot's stick. He cried out in surprised.

"Why you!.."he turned and looked at Andy. If he wanted to end this, he'd have to do it himself. He kicked out, knocking several of the attackers out of the way. The rest of his toys gasped at seeing him turn against them. To toys like the stormtroppers, the lizard man and Pinky, it was just like Marvelo who had gone as far as to destroy one of their own. "That settles it boy!"

He stormed forward, fists shaking with rage. Woody and Buzz moved closer to Andy in an attempt to defend him. But they weren't sure of the best way to do it considering the attacker was a full grown man.

"I'll not have you-" Warrick suddenly stopped. And yowled in pain. The toys and kids that were closest to him stepped back in confusion. Warrick too frowned at the source of the sudden sting to his lower leg. Right behind him was the cop toy that had been on the second level with Marvelo's group. Next to him was the G.I Joe soldier who was carrying a familar syringe in his arms. Warrick paled as he too recognized this weapon.

"What have you...what did you do?" he cried in panic.

"As an officer of the law," said the cop toy. "It is my duty to see all citizens abide by the laws of good."

"I stand by those beliefs," said the G.I Joe warily. "As a soldier of war, it is my duty to fight for democracy."

If there were any doubts among Warrick's toys of whether they should follow Warrick or Andy, it was all gone after those words. During their time in this warehouse, they had denied or foolishly ignored the slow rise of control upon them established by both the wizard and Warrick. They had been brainwashed to see this as the better way to last and to last among children. But they weren't lasting among happy children. They were lasting among sad and scared children. One of the main advantages to having playtime with a child was seeing them smile. Seeing them laughing, expressing their imagination and having not a care in the world. Here, it was different. It was the other way around. They were the ones smiling, laughing and forcing an imagination upon them with their realistic playsets. Toys weren't created for evilness. They were created for goodness, and meant to extend their abilities for a short amount of time. They had no control over their fate or the fate of their owners. Once they grew up, there was no telling what Marvelo would have done to them. They may have even become prisoners for life.

None of the toys stepped forward to apprehend the soldier and the cop. Warrick was on his own. He stumbled back, staring at them in disbelief.

"Why you...you...you.." he stuttered as the effects of the paralysisng drug started to take affect. His muscles started to tighten as a cold numbness took over. It began in his legs which started to wobble. Warrick panted and moaned.

While the crowd was watching the old man crumble before them, a figure tottered around with a toy barrel that had **ALE** written on it, trapped tight over his head and past part of his chest. Some time during the battle, one of the toys had taken Harry by surprise by dropping the barrel over him. Since then, the boy wizard had been unable to lift a wand to do any spell. Harry wriggled his shoulders and at last was able to free himself of the troublesome thing. He threw it to the side and as soon as he was able to stablize himself on the floor, he turned his attention to Warrick, who was an image that was swimming oddly before his eyes.

"S-so, it seems my spell wasn't strong enough," he said as he watched Warrick trying to steady himself on his feet. Harry reached for his useless wand, took a few steps forward, then pointed it at the man. "Maybe this time. PETRIFICUS TOTALUS!"

As if his spell had anything to do with it, Warrick took two measly steps forward before his legs collapsed under him. He caught himself with his hands. No sooner had he done that did they fall limply to his side. He lay his head down as the paralysis was complete. He lay frozen, just as Andy had, with only an hour before recovery.

Harry pocketed his wand and gave a sigh.

"That's a relief. For a minute, I was afraid I was becoming a squib."

Andy looked around at the others. They too realeased a sigh of relief.

"It's over!" Cole suddenly cried as he turned to face the kids around him. "We did it guys!" Instantly the children began jumping up and down while cheering. It was a celebration of a great achievement; a great struggle for freedom. Upon seeing the happiness of the children, true happiness, the toys began to cheer as well. The whole room echoed with their small voices. Andy smiled, pleased that their hopes had finally come to them. He turned to his own toys and together they began cheering as well. The two puppeteers of this entire opperation was down for the count, and all their employees were out of business. They were major steps Andy had to overcome in order to start himself, as well as the children, on the right path to freedom.

**Now this battle was toys vs. toys vs kids and I'm quite pleased with myself for pulling this battle off, because I wasn't sure it was going to happen. Once again, Andy tried to reason with Warrick for his wrong-doings, but it doesn't work. Now he's been taken out by his own medicine. In the end, everyone's reunited and quite happy. All is well. I may have told you earlier when all the bad stuff was happening, that things would be happy in the end (or maybe I didn't to keep from spoiling you). Anyways. I'll give you the heads up since we've resolved a lot of issues.**

**There's only a few chapters left. The story chapters stretched out farther then I imagined, but that's okay. We've gotten to the end (just like I've gotten to the end of my semester at school). I really appreciate the tons of reviews you guys have been sending me. Do keep sending them in. Next chapter, the obvious needs to be resolved. Is there any more cures for Andy and the others to change back? And if so, will they remember what happened? What will become of Warrick and the toys? And what about Andy's mom?**

**You'll find out next time. ;)**


	34. Chapter 34

**Disclaimer: I don't own Toy Story**

**We've come down to the wire now guys. All the complicated stuff is over. And so are the epic scenes...or so you thought. Towards the end, you'll see what I mean..**

**Last chapter, the kids are safe and now must find a way back to normal. And Andy's got to get home.**

Things to be Resolved

It was over. Really over. Andy saw this clearly as he watched several of the toys securing Warrick with several jump ropes. They were extra careful this time as they bound him toe to head. His mouth was gagged to keep him quiet this time around. Once the hour was up, he'd still have no chance to move or even speak. He would be well guarded by a larger number of toys. As for the toys who still sided with him in the end, they too were tied up and delivered to a cage that a child had been forced to occupy. Only Pinky, Jack, T-Bone and the lizard toy were punished this way. The rest seemed to have learned the error of their ways.

Andy stood among them, watching as toys stepped up to comfort or apologise to the kids. It was as if balance had been restored and they were on an equal level. But they couldn't be for long. Only one thing remained and that was the cure that would unshrink them. But the question still remained on whether or not there was more. Whether they would be able to stay on an equal level, or not.

"Well Andy, it looks like everything is secure," said Buzz as he placed a hand on his shoulder, snapping him out of his thoughts.

"Everything, except us, or have you forgotten we're all a little shorter than we should be?" Andy reminded him.

"Oh right," said Buzz. "We've got to get our hands on the antidote to reverse you and the others."

"But the only antidote is Warrick," Slinky pointed out. "And he won't be coming to for some time."

"Andy, didn't you say you found the cure once?" asked Woody.

Andy was instantly reminded of the incident in the office, where the possible cure slipped out of his hand and went crashing to the floor. He had panicked, feeling it was their last chance at being normal. He hoped it wasn't. But even if there wasn't, he still had to contend with the cure's side-effect. He just couldn't bring himself to explain that part yet.

"I, did find something, but I accidentally dropped it."

"Where did you get it?" asked Buzz.

"Warrick's office. I was able to sneak in there one night with the help of another toy."

"Then the rest must be there," Buzz decided.

"Maybe," said Andy. "But if it's not, what are we going to do? Even if we waited for Warrick to unfreeze, I doubt he'd tell us anything."

"Then what do we do?" cried Rex who seemed to have had enough of the tense situations. Behind them, there was the sound of someone clearing their throat. The gang turned around to see the G.I Joe and the cop toy. Behind them were several other toys who had fought the good fight and were now willing to do more.

"May we be of assistance?" asked the G.I Joe.

Andy's toys traded a look with one another and smiled. Andy and Woody also exchanged a look that was based more on surprise. They alone had more experience with the dark side of the these toys, especially Andy, and it was odd to see them acting in a kinder manner. Woody smiled, pleased that they were able to change their ways. Andy nodded at the soldier, allowing him to extend the helping hand.

Rather than wait for Warrick, Andy, along with his toys and a small handful of Warrick's toys entered the office and spread out to search it. They worked together opening drawers and file cabinents; peaking behind every nook and cranny, and reading through papers on the desk in case there were clues that pointed to the answer. Andy was on the floor next to Woody, describing what to look for.

"It's a small bottle, and the liquid inside is clear. There's also some kind of inscription on it, written in another language."

"You heard him men!" cried the G.I Joe to the other toys. "Don't stop until you find it. Success Mr. Pig?"

Hamm, who was searching the bottom drawer of a file cabinet right next to him shook his head.

"Negatory," said Hamm. "Although I did find out where someone might hide a few overdue car payments."

Up on the desk, Buzz and Jessie were sorting through the small bottles, but none of them were what Andy described.

"Buzz it's not here," said Jessie.

"Keep searching," said Buzz. "We can't give up now."

"What if that Warrick guy didn't make anymore?," said Mr. Potato Head, who was currently helping Slinky search the floor under the computer desk.

"He had to," said Andy. "A kid was returned home when the police got too suspicious. He's got to have, something."

"Don't worry Andy," said Slinky. "We won't let you down."

Andy gave a grim nod and moved away from the searchers. Woody followed him, concern etched across his face.

"They'll find it partner," Woody assured him. "And once they do, things will be back to the way they were. Well, maybe not entirely back to the way they were."

Andy could barely muster the enthusiam at the idea. Sure there was nothing better than restoring the kids. It was the only way to get them home. As for himself, he had much more to lose. They hadn't gone on a thrilling adventure with toys that could be trusted. All they had known from them was cruelty. For them the side-effect of the cure was much appreciated. They didn't need to remember what they'd gone through and harbor an intense hate or fear of toys. Their own toys back home didn't deserve to be seen that way. For Andy, there had been scary moments, but for the most part it was an experience he didn't want to forget. And now was the time to tell Woody the truth. That things weren't going to go the way that they thought; that he wouldn't recall their secret. Andy turned and started to speak when his eyes fell on the shredder near the desk. He was sickened to see a few pieces of fuzz and fur still stuck in the blades.

Woody looked in the direction he was looking with confusion.

"What is it Andy?"

"It's...the toy that tried to, help me."

"Wha..." Woody started, not understanding why he'd consider a shredder a toy or how it could have helped him.

"My dad had this toy, a bear called Mr. Wuzzles. I found him here and he was the one who helped me."

"Mr. Wuzzles huh?" said Woody in deep thought.

"Yeah he was-"

"A kind-hearted old fella," Woody added. Andy turned, slightly surprised, but at the same time he wasn't. "I remember him, when I was your dad's toy. Back when your grandfather gave me to your dad as a Christmas gift. Back then, Mr. Wuzzles was the leader of the room. He was the grandfatherly figure sharing words of wisdom and comfort. He helped me settle in and wasn't the least bit jealous when your dad started seeing me as the favorite. It didn't change Mr. Wuzzle's position with his kid. He's a very special toy."

"Yeah, he was," Andy agreed sadly.

"Was?"

"It was Marvelo. He got busted for helping me and Marvelo got, rid of him," Andy explained as his eyes fell to the shredder. Woody too moved his eyes in that direction and immediately understood. He closed his eyes and bowed his head. If the wizard was still around, he was sure he'd feel nothing but rage. But the wizard was gone, already punished for his crimes. Mr. Wuzzles was very near and dear to his previous owner, being that he had become a toy for three owners, all in the same family. And because he was so gentle Woody was never able to become jealous of his close relation with their owner. It was like what he and Andy had now and why he had become jealous of Buzz's intrusion. Once their owner started to grow, Mr. Wuzzles had been shelved right next to Anthony's bed. Since he was such an old toy, Anthony had feared he would fall to pieces if he was put aside in the toy box. Eventually he was packed away and Woody had never seen him again. He only recalled hearing his son say his name and assumed Anthony had told him about the bear. That was also the last time he saw Anthony.

Woody's fists tightened at his side. The mention of Wuzzles sparked all sorts of conflicting emotions, particularly on Andy's dad. He couldn't help feeling frustrated at his departure. That had left Andy without a father. In a way, it seemed he had taken his place. Anthony had passed Woody along to Andy and once asked that he look after him. He was able to tell, at that moment, that he still cared about Woody. But now that he had heard about Mr. Wuzzles, he wasn't sure if he had felt the same about the bear.

"I guess your dad decided not to hold onto the old fella," Woody guessed.

"No," said Andy. "He threw him out, but he regretted it."

"What? How do you know?"

"I talked to dad about him, during my escape," said Andy with a small grin.

"What? How did you-"

"Hey, I think we found something over here!" Slinky interrupted.

The toys gathered closer to Slinky and Mr. Potato Head's searching spot. Inbetween the computer desk and a side desk was a black briefcase. Mr. Potato Head was slowly pulling it out of hiding. He, the G.I Joe, and Buzz lowered it down to the floor. Buzz fingered the gold clasp.

"Looks like it takes a key to open it," said Buzz.

"How about that one?" asked Hamm, who was looking up at a squeeky toy monkey who was holding up a small gold key he'd found. He quickly climbed down and scurried up to the briefcase. Luckily the key fit as the lock clicked. Buzz and the G.I Joe pushed up the top half and revealed the contents inside. It was just what they were looking for. Inside, on both sides of the briefcase were four rows made to secure ten vials of the same liquid Andy had discovered eariler. He noticed there were two empty spots. One he knew was used on the kid that was returned and the other had to be the one he accidentally broke.

"This is it!" cried Andy as he moved closer to study them. "This is the cure to unshrinking us!"

"Yee-haw!" Jessie cheered. "I knew we could do it!"

"We? You mean me," said Mr. Potato Head.

"It doesn't matter who found it," said Buzz. "All that matter's is that we can now restore Andy and all the children back to their original selves."

In the mist of the excitement, Andy felt his own exuberance wearing down as he ran a finger down one of the bottles. Taking the cure would not only mean goodbye to the adventure, but to his newly aquainted friends as well.

"Y-yeah," Andy agreed quietly.

While Mr. Potato Head, Jessie and the G.I Joe started pulling the bottles from the straps, Buzz and the other toys started ushering the children into the office. Andy stood watching near the growing pile of freed bottles with Woody by his side. He still hadn't told them the effect of the cure, nor had any of them read it on the bottles yet. Andy had declared he would tell them once the kids were settled in. No sooner had Andy came up with what he was going to say did the group of thirty arrived, crowded near the opened door, and looking back at him expectantly.

"Andy what's this all about?" asked Emily. "Your toys said you found something to help us."

"We did find something," Andy explained. "We found a way to get you all back to your normal size."

He was forced to pause as the children began cheering and jumping up and down. Andy couldn't help smiling. He had hoped to get them out of here and now it was actually happening. They started expressing their eagerness to see their mothers and fathers again, as well as their siblings.

Cole hurried up to Andy and raised his hand for a high-five.

"You did it Andy! You said we'd get out of here and, it's actually happening!"

"It sure is Cole."

"I can't wait to see Alissa again and tell her what really happened to me."

Upon his interest in sharing the details with his sister, Andy felt now was as good a time as any to break the news.

"I'm sorry Cole, but you can't."

"Huh? What do you mean I can't?" Cole asked as the kids started to quiet down.

"I think he means that no one will believe you," said Hamm.

"No, I mean, you won't remember that any of this happened."

The girls and boys exchanged worried looks while his toys looked at one another in confusion. Woody gazed at Andy, taken aback. Andy ignored the looks and whispers as he continued.

"That's one of the effects of the antidote. It'll unshrink you, but you won't remember what you've gone through. The toys that you met, or even Warrick."

"But that's good isn't it?" asked a small red-headed girl. "Everything we've gone through is bad."

"Yeah, we don't want to remember," a young boy agreed.

"It'll be like it never happened!"

At that remark, the kids started to celebrate again. It was double good news for them. As for Andy, it wasn't so. Buzz, Jessie and the rest of his toys closed in on Andy, all feeling the same bittersweetness.

"Andy, are you sure about this?" asked Woody.

"Yeah, look it's written on the bottle," said Andy as he pointed it out.

"We can't be certain it's accurate," Buzz stated. "Afterall, this is Warrick we're talking about."

"Actually I can be certain. There was a kid that was returned from being missing, and he couldn't remember anything that happened to him. Wuzzles confirmed it. That's what kept Warrick from being caught."

"But, that doesn't mean you'll forget about us, right?" asked Rex hopefully.

All Andy could do was give him a solemn look. He was pretty sure that hope wasn't true. As much as he wanted to believe in Rex words, he couldn't; then again he wouldn't know until he took the antidote for himself.

"Well I-"

"Hey come on guys," Woody interrupted. "What's important is that we found a way to help Andy. That's what this has all been about."

His words rang true, but the way he said it showed how he really felt. It sounded like a real effort for him to even say such words. Andy greatly appreciated his coming to the rescue. He didn't know how to respond to Rex or the rest of them on the matter. He was far to focused on losing his memories of them, but now Woody was reminding him, reminding them that this was about returning him back to his life. It was where he belonged, among people and not among toys. Still, Andy could not ignore the saddness he was hiding.

"Woody's right," Buzz agreed.

"Buzz?" Jessie questioned.

"Whatever happens, we'll still be there for you space ranger."

Andy nodded. It was nice to hear, but when this was over he wasn't sure if he would let them be there for him. He was growing up afterall.

"Right, let's get started."

As Andy and the others moved forward to take care of the matter, Woody turned away. He felt his face starting to fall at the prospect of losing Andy, again; after he had gone so far to get him back. But now wasn't the time to feel saddness. In a way it was a good thing. Andy wouldn't remember the bad things that had happened to him, and the toys wouldn't have to worry about their rule breaking. However, at the moment, those notions felt like bad things.

Before anyone was given the antidote, special precautions were put in place. It was quickly decided that it would be too difficult to cart this many children out of the warehouse, especially since their homes were all over the place. It would be easier as well as safer if they stayed here. Warrick's toys had agreed to keep watch over them, and to keep them even safer. As for Warrick, he was moved from the play area into the storage room. By now he had unfrozen and was wiggling in an attempt to get free. He was also mumbling curses that were muffled by his gag. Andy set to work on writing a note for the kids. Once they awoke, they would be informed that they had been drugged and kidnapped. The part about the shrinking and living toys was left out. Andy struggled to write with a giant purple crayon, but with Buzz's help, he managed. For the journey back, both Rc and the red jeep recieved a battery change as well as a few extra to take with them from some of Warrick's toys. The rest of them had turned the play area into a nap area by spreading out rags from the cages for the children to sleep on. This time they went to the extra lengths to ensure they were comfortable.

Once Andy had finished the note, he handed it off to the cop toy for safe keeping. And now they were ready to try the antidote. With several other toys in place around the children and the bottles in their hands, they proceeded to the next step. The procedure called for one full bottle to be used on a child. It was not meant to be drunk, but doused over the victim. It was much in the same way the wizard's shrinking powder had covered the kids' from head to toe. One by one the toys were lifting a bottle and pouring the contents over the miniaturized kids. They covered their faces or simply closed their eyes as the liquid rained down on them. Andy and Woody watched from the side with much anticipation. In Andy's hand was a bottle for himself. Before he went through with it, he wanted to see how the others were taking to the antidote. He wouldn't fully know unless he stayed here overnight. Like the wizard's magic dust, the antidote induced drowsiness. The victim would sleep it off then awake in their original height, but with no memory of what happened. Andy didn't have the night to stay with them. His mother would be home tomorrow morning. Everything was taken care of; all they had to do was get back home.

As they were finishing up with the cure, Buzz stepped up to Andy.

"Your turn Andy."

Woody couldn't help letting his saddness show. Andy caught it and started to feel the same way.

"I ah, I think it would be better if I did this at home. I mean, just for safety and..."

"It's all right Andy, I understand. We'll do it your way," said Buzz. Andy wasn't sure if he really agreed with his reasons or if he understood how he was feeling at the idea of parting from them. Either way, he and Woody traded a knowing look.

Everything was now settled between the toys and the children. Andy realized there was nothing more to do than to take his leave, but he couldn't without making sure they were all right. He stood along with his toys before the mixed crowd in the play area. Behind them were their mode of transportations, Rc and the red jeep. Though Andy knew the toys had changed for the better and would be keeping their promise to look after the kids, he still felt for their safety of being in the warehouse. But it would only be for one more night. When they woke, the letter would instruct them to contact the police to reunite them with their families and deal with Warrick.

Cole stood before the others like a leader and shook hands with Andy in farewell.

"Have a safe trip back."

"Thanks," said Andy. "You'll be all right here?"

"Sure we will, now that we don't have playtime to look forward to," Cole assured him. "We're well protected by good toys now."

"Right," said Andy.

Suddenly Cole gave a very big yawn; a sign that the antidote was working it's magic.

"I'd better let you get some rest," said Andy. "Before you know it, you'll be yourself again, and you'll be on your way to see Alissa."

Cole nodded as he tried to suppress another yawn.

"Right. Oh and Andy," Cole started quietly. "Since I won't remember, I guess I'd better say this now. Thanks. Thanks for everything."

Andy grinned with slight embarrasment. "You don't have to thank me. It's really my toys that deserve the credit."

"You do as well," said Emily as she stepped forward.

"She's right," said Cole. "You encouraged us to never give up. You kept trying even though you failed the first time. And now, thanks to you, we're going home. We're going to see our moms and dads again. So thank you."

Andy looked around at his toys and found them all smiling at him with pride.

"You are most welcome," Andy told him.

Cole froze, suddenly over come with his own emotions. He pulled his hand out of Andy's grip then threw his arms around him in an embrace. Andy accepted the hug as the kids around them started clapping and cheering. When they broke apart, the rest of the kids came forward to bid farewell to Andy as well as to his toys. Nearby, Rex and Slinky found themselves bidding farewell to Trolley.

"You sure you won't come with us?" asked Slinky.

"You'll like Andy as your new owner," Rex offered.

Trolley gave the innocent dino a soft smile. He glanced over at their owner who was still recieving parting hugs and handshakes from the children. He had no doubt he would like him, but the truth still remained; he was a teenager. Regardless of anything Andy said to them, their time together was at its end. He was entering adulthood and was far too old for his plastic pals. Besides that, he wouldn't even remember them being alive. Still, Trolley did not want to hurt Rex.

"I know I would like your ownwer, but, I think I'll take my place, protecting these kids," Trolley explained as a boy and girl came up and embraced the plushy toy. "Who knows. Maybe one of them will adopt me."

"We hope so," said Slinky. "You deserve it."

"Hey Slinky! Rex!" Woody called. "Time to get a move on."

Slinky and Rex said their last goodbyes to the troll and wandered back over to the others. After a final wave, the gang headed out in the direction of the elevator Woody and the others had first used to come to the basement. They were accompanied by the G.I Joe, the cop, the knight and Skipper. They traveled with them up to the second floor and headed down the hall toward the front door. Buzz and Woody headed over to the handle, preparing some great measure to reach the doorknob, but the knight held out a hand to stop them. He stepped over to the side of the door where a large red button was stationed in the wall. He pressed it and the door clicked and opened up.

"Our way of letting Warrick in, should he ever leave his keys behind," said the knight.

"Well you won't have to worry about that anymore," said Buzz.

"But what about this place?" asked Skipper. "What do you think will happen to it?"

"I don't know," Andy answered. "But I'm sure you won't have to worry about staying here any longer. These kids could find you a good home."

Skipper's eyes softened and she gazed at him lovingly.

"Oh, how sweet!" she cried as she threw her arms around him, overcome with emotion. "I wish I could make my home with you. There's nothing standing in our way now. We can have the perfect dream house, and be the perfect couple!" Skipper proceeded to coat his cheek in kisses as if he had agreed to her wishes while he struggled to get her off. Andy's own toys watched the scene before them with shocked faces. It was a soap opera that was much similar to the drama of Woody and Alissa's Barbie's romance. Potato Head nudged Woody with a sly expression.

"Looks like that new romance came a lot sooner," Mr. Potato Head said, referring back to the conversation during the camp-out.

"Skipper, Skipper, Skipper stop, look," Andy cried as he finally grabbed ahold of her arms and stopper her attacking his face. "You're a toy Skipper."

"I know that, but-"

"And you don't have to worry about boyfriends right now, especially me. You should be worrying about making kids happy. That's what's important for a toy."

"But we can still be together," Skipper said hopefully.

"No we can't. I'm sorry, but it's time for me to move on. You've got to do the same. And I'm sure one day you'll meet a Ken doll and forget all about me."

Skipper looked away from him and took a moment to consider his words. Then she turned back to him with a determined frown on her face.

"No."

"Wha-"

"I won't worry about finding a man. I can be my own woman, like Barbie. Anything she can be, I can be, but better. And I'll start right now by being something she's never been-a mother to real children."

The confidence expressed in her words took them all by surprise. Andy was momentarily lost for words.

"Well, yeah, okay. Good."

The knight stepped forward and extended a hand. "It was a pleasure dueling with you."

"I guess, in a way it was the same for me," said Andy, though he wasn't so sure it was a pleasure to nearly get killed.

"You're quite a young man. Loyal and brave right to the very end," said the knight as he bowed before him.

"Good luck out there soldiers," said the G.I Joe as he saluted them.

"We apologise for the trouble we caused," said the cop toy.

"You can make it up by looking after those kids," said Andy. "Let's go guys."

Andy moved in behind Woody and next to Buzz in Rc, with his own bottle of the antidote resting carefully on his lap. Hamm, Rex, Potato Head and Slinky climbed into the red jeep and Jessie mounted Bullseye. They gave one last wave as Rc led the way out the door.

It seemed like weeks since he had been outside, when really it was just a few days. Still, Andy took in the fresh air as if it were most precious. The wind was fading and the sky was showing signs of falling to evening as the sun started to set. It would be night by the time they made it home. Their adventure was over and done. Tomorrow his mother and sister would be home and he would have to be there as well. Of course, his trip with Jen was meant to last longer than his mom's return home, however the circumstances changed in ways he could never have imagined. And considering he was going to forget his journey, he had no excuse to give her as to why he was home so soon. He couldn't be sure what he'd remember last. Maybe he'd wake up thinking it was the day he was suppose to go on his trip with Jen. Maybe, if he was lucky, he'd remember how Jen treated him and not make the mistake in talking with her. Or maybe he'd forget the whole idea of the camping trip completely.

Andy didn't know. All he could do was worry over the thought of lost memories. He recalled one kid asking him if the antidote would force him to forget his parents, just before they started dousing the kids. Andy assured him that he wouldn't forget them. Another kid had asked if he'd really forget the toys and what they'd done. For their sake Andy hoped so; as for himself, he wasn't so happy with the thought. The only thing he wanted to forget was the nightmare of Marvelo and the experiences he put him through in the warehouse. He didn't want to forget anything else. Not his exciting and at times perilous journey with his newfound friends.

Andy glanced down at the bottle in his hands as the journey continued in silence. No one said a word as they headed down the road. There was nothing they could say now. Andy wished their was, but he couldn't think of anything. They knew what was coming and apparently no one was interested in talking about it. Andy stared at the words on the bottle that explained the downside of the cure. In a way, he supposed it was a good solution. As he had kept telling Marvelo, they were kids that had to one day grow up and move on. And if he didn't want to end up like Warrick, who still held onto his toys in a dangerous way, he'd have to move on as well.

_'But, am I ready to move on?'_ he thought to himself.

He had learned so much in a short amount of time, and that wasn't counting the secret of the toys. He had learned that it was okay to be scared of growing up, and that he didn't have to change completely. He also learned that no matter how difficult the situation was, he could find a way to handle himself on his own. But he still had some growing up to do before such a time came; yet those times were coming closer and closer. Andy frowned as he held onto the bottle tighter. Buzz, who was squeezed tightly next to him couldn't help noticing his expression.

"Don't worry Andy, I'm sure it will work."

"Huh?" Andy questioned as he faced Buzz. He then realized what he was referring to. "Oh, it's not that. I guess, I was just thinking ahead."

Buzz seemed to understand and he clapped a hand on his shoulder.

"It's been quite an adventure. We had some good times."

Andy nodded sadly. "We sure did."

Woody made like was was going to say something, but decided against it.

Evening had approached by the time they made it back home. There were no major delays except when they took small rest breaks, especially for the sake of Bullseye. Nonetheless, they made it back without having to face anything worse than their previous situations. In no time, Andy was back where he started-home.

As Rc pulled up to the steps, Andy stared up at the house that appeared enormous to him. He sighed at seeing it again. It seemed so ordinary compared to where he'd been in the last couple of days. Once he poured the antidote on himself, his life would go back to normal; a kind of normal that seemed very dull and uneventful. But that was his life, and besides that he had parents who would be concerned if he didn't come home. He didn't belong as an eight inch boy in a giant world anyways.

Andy, Woody and Buzz stepped out of Rc, along with Hamm, Potato Head and Slinky in the red jeep.

"Well we made it home," Slink stated, though he didn't sound very enthusiastic about it.

"And just in time," said Hamm. "Andy's mom will be home tomorrow."

"Yeah, and the fact that we got Andy back in one piece is a miracle," said Mr. Potato Head.

"And now that you know our secret, you'll play with us! Won't you Andy?" asked Rex as he hurried over to confront the teen.

Andy merely stared back at him with a blank expression. Buzz looked over at Woody who couldn't meet his eyes and turned his attention to the ground. Mr. Potato Head, Slinky and Hamm exchanged sorrowful looks and Jessie patted her four-legged companion for comfort. It seemed Rex had completely forgotten about the side-effect of the antidote. The others, aside from Woody, looked to Andy to solve the question. But Andy couldn't bare to remind him.

"Rex, I-"

"He won't remember us, don't you understand!," Woody interrupted, a littler more harsh than he intended. "Once he goes back to normal, it'll all be gone. It's over Rex."

Without another word or even a glance at Andy, the heartbroken cowboy entered the house through Buster's doggie door. The others watched him go. Rex seemed to curl up at the information as he wriggled his claws nervously. Andy sighed and entered the house with the others following behind.

Andy lifted the flap and expected to see Woody just on the other side. Instead, he saw him wandering toward the livingroom. He was sure if he could see his face, there'd be a dejected look upon it. Andy hated for this to end on such a bitter note. He wished there was something he could do to make him feel better; to make them all feel better. Andy stepped aside as the others came in through the door. Everyone but Rc and the jeep came inside. The little green racer seemed to be under the impression that he was no longer welcomed here. Afterall, Andy had sold him in a yard sale. Understanding the delay, Andy stepped forward.

"It's okay Rc. You're home now. After everything you've done for us, you don't think I'd cast you out do you?"

Rc hummed hopefully.

"Come on. You too, ah, jeep."

Rc beeped happily then raced through the door, followed by the red jeep. He had promised he'd give a home to Mr. Wuzzles, but due to his untimely demise, he could give a home to the next best toy. Andy then turned his attention to Woody as he tried to decide what to do.

"Are you ready Andy?" asked Buzz as he glanced at the bottle in his hands.

Andy looked down at it, then over at Woody.

"Not yet," he told him. He turned away from the sheriff and looked back at them. "There's something I have to do first."

Woody stopped in his pace through the living room as his feet came across the rug before the t.v. Not too long ago, Andy, Hamm, Mr. Potato Head, Rex and Slinky were engaged in a game of go fish on the spot where he stood. Woody stared down at it then plopped himself down on the floor. He knew he shouldn't be feeling so depressed, but he couldn't help it. A part of him knew it was better this way. That it was good for Andy to forget the bad things that had happened to him. It also meant that their secret would be safe. Still, it was painful to realize Andy was about to go back to his old self. Before the shrinking, Andy had admited that he was harboring fears of growing up. During this journey, Woody saw that he had finally found a way to deal with it, but now it would all be gone. Andy would have to find another way to deal with the changes of his life, and he would do it without his toys. They would go back to being ignored, probably placed in the Toy box for all time.

Woody wasn't sure how long he had sat their with his thoughts. He knew he was being rude, ignoring Andy and the others. Whenever something was bothering him, he was usually good at putting on a smile for the sake of the others. But he couldn't now. He couldn't pretend he wasn't sad about it. How the others took it so well, he didn't know. He just wished he was as strong now. He had to be, especially for Andy. As he thought about his owner, his eyes moved up to the shelves on the wall where Andy's mom displayed many of the family photos in frames. A good few had Andy's mom, Andy and Molly. Others showed either Andy and just Molly, but one in particular stood out. It was a picture of a five year old Andy holding up his favorite sheriff. Andy was grinning broadly as he held up Woody's arm in a wave. Woody smiled fondly at it. It was one of the few pictures of just him and Andy together. He remembered them taking that picture and Andy showing it to him afterwards. He had always wondered what happened to it. It was one of his favorites, along with the picture where Andy was seated in his room surrounded by the rest of the gang. Woody didn't know where that picture was, but it was the last time Andy had taken pictures with his toys. It marked a turning point in their relationship where Andy was playing with them less and less.

Woody sighed as he turned away from the photo and looked back to the ground. Now was the time to confront the situation dead on. Woody got to his feet. He would be honest about how he felt but not allow it to prevent what had to come.

He turned around, expecting to see Andy and the others looking back at him, somewhat annoyed or hurt by his behavior. He was surprised to see that they were gone. He briefly scanned the room but no one was here. Had Andy already gone through with the antidote? And without saying goodbye? Woody hated that possibility. He hated that he'd spent so much time sulking that he missed Andy. He hated the idea that he might have angered Andy to the point where he didn't want to say goodbye, but surely he understood. Woody crossed the livingroom, heading toward the stairs. Slowly he started to climb. He paused half-way to glance between the bars at the photo of himself and Andy one more time.

When he was almost at the top, he was shaken out of his gloom but a sudden pop. Woody jerked his head up in confusion. Then he heard it again. It had come from Andy's room. Suddenly Andy himself came racing out of the room and hurried to the top step. He leaned over to catch his breath. He seemed to be pretty shaken up by something which immediately concerned Woody.

"Andy? Wha'-"

"Oh good Sheriff, you're here," said Andy. "You've got to hurry!"

Without giving Woody a chance to ask what was going on, Andy ran back into the room. _'Sheriff?_' Woody wondered to himself. He frowned as he tried to understand why it seemed Andy didn't recognize him. Was it the effect of the cure? That Andy had forgotten, but he still remained small? Woody didn't know so he hurried up the last steps of the stairs and over to Andy's room. He paused in the doorway at the strange sight before him. The whole room had been set up like a Western town. There were the cardboard boxes Andy had drawn on years ago to depict a jell, a saloon, and a coral. Near the bed was the erector set that created a bridge. There was no one in sight. Woody slowly stepped into the room, wondering if this was how the others had occupied their time while he and the rest of the toys were off saving Andy. He heard a "_pppssst"_ sound and looked ahead to see Andy peeking out from a cardboard box that was set up to look like a general store. Strangely enough, Andy was now wearing a small plastic cowboy hat that had come from a small western set of cowboy acssessories. Andy had found that most of the extra items didn't fit Woody, but it seemed to fit him well enough. He even had the holster around his waist.

Andy was signaling him to come, then he moved back behind the box again. Woody frowned, but did step over to him. When he was near, Andy grabbed him and quickly pulled him behind his hiding spot.

"Andy what's-"

"Sshh, we've got to be careful sheriff," said Andy seriously.

"Careful, what are you talking about? Where is everyone? Did you take that antidote? Did it have something to do with-"

"I'm not the one that's done the taking," Andy interrupted with a hint of disgust in his voice. "It's one-eyed Bart. He's teamed up with Dr. Porkchop and robbed the bank." Woody raised his eyebrows in surprise. His owner was talking as if they were in one of his imaginative plays.

"The rest of the town folk seem to have hidden themselves, but you never know when those two come to town," Andy continued.

Then it dawned on Woody what Andy and the others must be up to. His blank expression quickly turned into a determined smile. He reached up and straightened his hat, then nodded at Andy.

"Then let's go out there and capture ourselves a couple of crooks," said Woody.

**It's playtime! (He did promise Rex you know) Yay! We can't end this fic without Andy having one more round of playtime with his toys. Only this time, he's literally immersed in his imagination. So next time, I expect you to bring your imagination and truly imagine the scenes (Like Andy did for the begining of Toy Story 3) **

**As for the cure stuff, it might have been more understandable that Andy go ahead and take that cure, or at least test it on himself before giving it to the kids to make sure, but he wasn't ready to go back. And I'm sure you guys weren't ready for him to go back yet either. So, before we end the adventure, we'll have another _mini_ adventure in the next chapter.**

**Update me with reviews and I'll update you with that chapter! Later!**


	35. Chapter 35

**Disclaimer: I don't own Toy Story**

**I knew you guys would like that little twist at the end of the last chapter. This is going to be a different kind of play for Andy since he's the size of the toys and they are working together (really working together) to create the play.**

**So get ready to set your imaginations in place, cause we're about to hit the old West!**

A Western Trail of Goodbyes

The sunlight from the lightbulb overhead shone down on the empty town before them. Sheriff Woody and his deputy Andy carefully peeked around the corner of the General store. Their faces were set and ready for any trouble that should suddenly spring up. It was quiet. The area was so deserted that a tumbleweed had no one to prevent its roll across the land.

"See anything partner?" Sheriff Woody whispered seriously.

"Nothing," Andy whispered back. "It's quiet."

"Too quiet. I don't like it."

Andy squinted his eyes as he scanned the buildings more carefully. "Either way Sheriff, we've got to go out there. We can't let One-Eyed Bart get away."

"Right you are," said Woody. They nodded then stepped out of their hiding spot. They stood side by side for a second before heading down the road.

"How much money did he get away with?" asked Sheriff Woody.

"Thousands," his deputy answered.

"Nobody got hurt during the robbery did they?"

"No. He just fired a few warning shots."

Suddenly there was the sound of a creaking door. Woody threw out an arm to stop Andy from continuing.

"What was that?" he asked.

The doors to the saloon were slowly swaying, back and forth. They watched it for a few seconds, then jumped when something burst them open. He laughed maniacally as he waved his gun and swung a bag in excitement. It was One-Eyed Bart, and from the look of that bag, the sheriff and his deputy were able to see he'd made off good with the bank; or rather almost good. They had no intention of letting him slip away. Bart kept laughing as he walked away from the saloon, but he stopped when he took notice of the newcomers.

"Well well well, if it isn't the Sheriff, and his trusted companion," he sneered.

"Give it up Bart, you're cornered. It's two against one," said the sheriff.

"Oh really?" asked Bart as he turned and whistled toward the saloon. They turned to see Dr. Porkchop tumble out of the saloon and join him by his side. He too had a bag of money. "Now it's two against two."

"Evil Dr. Porkchop," Sheriff Woody said, scowling.

"In the pink," he replied.

Deputy Andy shifted his eyes between the two. "What are we gonna do?"

"Whatever it takes to send them behind bars," Woody answered.

"Right. It shouldn't be too hard."

"What are you two whispering about over there?" cried One-Eyed Bart. "Trying to come up with the best plan of retreat?"

While he and Dr. Porkchop laughed, Andy took a step forward. "Where is everyone!"

"Cowering in fear from us," Bart replied. "Which is what you should be doing!"

"Not a chance!" Andy shouted back. "We're not here to hide, we're here to stop you!"

"Well I'd like to see you try with my new set of wheels."

"What set of wheels?" asked Woody in confusion.

"This set." He whistled again and around the corner of a house on the end, a large red jeep came roaring up, driven by a shapely femal figure with one eye. She gave them a wicked grin as she pulled up next to One-Eyed Bart.

"You remember my wife Betty, or as she's commonly referred to in these parts, One-Eyed Betty," One-Eyed Bart introduced.

Betty giggled. "Long time no see Sheriff, and deputy." She then gave a wild cry as she showed off a few of her karate skills.

"This is going to be trickier than I thought," Woody admitted to Andy.

"That's my evil little sweetheart," he cooed. He and Dr. Porkchop tossed the bags into the backseat. One-Eyed Bart was about to get into the jeep, but stopped and turned back to the saloon. "Oh. I almost forgot our other passenger."

He hurried inside just as Dr. Porkchop made himself comfy in the backseat. Sheriff Woody balled his fist in anger as he stepped forward, but Andy held him back.

"Wait a minute sheriff. We're kind of outnumbered here," Andy warned.

"We can't just let them get away."

One-Eyed Bart reappeared with the passenger he had forgotten. Woody and Andy gasped. It was Bo Peep. Her arms were tied down at her sides and she was sobbing with fear.

"Bo!" Woody cried.

"Woody!" Bo cried, frightened.

"That's right Sheriff, I've got two sweethearts now," Bart laughed.

"Hey!" his wife cried in offense.

"A figure of speech my dear. You know you're number one to me," Bart explained. He then picked Bo up and dropped her in the backseat. He then settled in the passengers seat and waved. "See you later boys! And don't try to follow us, or I'll be one sweetheart short if you know what I mean." One-Eyed Betty turned the wheel and the red jeep went roaring away, kicking up a cloud of dust as it went. Woody and Andy were left coughing from the disturbance.

"What are we gonna do?" cried Woody. "There's no way we can catch them now."

"Not without a set of wheels ourselves," said Andy.

"Did somebody say something about a set of wheels?"

They turned to see Jessie coming up from behind them on Bullseye. Driving along next to her was Rc. Jessie was grinning as she pulled up next to them. "Looks like you guys could use a lift."

"We should can," said Andy as he made for Rc, but Woody beat him to it.

"I think you've done enough driving for one day," Woody answered, reminding him of his wild driving in the warehouse. "I'll take the wheel this time around."

"I'll go with you!" cried Jessie as she moved in behind Woody in the car. That left Bullseye to Andy, but it wasn't a disappointment. The horse seemed eager for his attention. Andy knew it was all apart of the play of being a cowboy, but there was one thing they were overlooking.

"I don't know how to ride," Andy explained to Jessie.

"Don't worry about it, Bullseye will do all the steering. Why he's the most loyal horse you ever did see."

It was enough to set Andy on the idea, so he mounted Bullseye.

"Easy there boy," he soothed as he tried to calm Bullseye's excitement. It was not unlike Rex's eagerness for playtime with his owner.

"Alright guys, let's catch us some law-breakers!" cried Woody. Rc reved up and followed the path of One-Eyed Bart with Andy racing by his side on Bullseye.

After several minutes of riding, the sheriff and the others were led to a shack that was built into the cave of a great mountain. Woody and the others observed from afar, hidden behind rocks and shrubs. They had made it just in time as One-Eyed Bart and his gang were still unloading from the car. Dr. Porkchop and One-Eyed Betty were carrying sacks of money into the shack's opening. It appeared that they had made a clean sweep of the bank as they had been carting more money in the back of the jeep. One-Eyed Bart was the last to enter the shack, carrying Bo's struggling form in his arms. Woody scowled.

"We have to do something," Sheriff Woody insisted.

"We certainly will sheriff," his deputy agreed. "Maybe there's another entrance."

"Even if there is, we can't just go in there and get Bo out," said Jessie.

"We can if you guys distract them," said Andy. "Here's what we'll do."

A hopeful plan was set in motion as Deputy Andy moved closer to the mountain and edged around the side of the cave. From their hideaway, Woody and Jessie watched him. It didn't take long for Andy to signal to them that there was no entrance. Woody and Jessie dropped their heads in slight disappointment, then Woody gave the go ahead for the next plan of action. Andy nodded and ducked down behind some rocks and Woody and Jessie approached the shack from the front.

"All right One-Eyed Bart, you and your comrades come out with your hands up!" he cried.

Inside the shack, Bart, Betty and Dr. Porkchop were already filtering through the money they'd collected in a pile. At the sound of the sheriff's call, Bart chuckled.

"Who does that cowboy think he is? He really expects us to give up."

"Let's humor him darling," said Betty with a chuckle.

"Why not."

They all dropped the coins from their hands and headed outside.

"Well sheriff, it doesn't look like you hear so well," Bart commented. "I did say if you tried to follow us, your sweetheart will be history. Or maybe you were just to dim to get the message." He and the others laughed.

"If you think I'm going to let you go because of your warning, then you don't know me well at all," Woody remarked.

"I think I know a lost cause when I see one," Bart replied. "And so, apparently did your deputy. Abandoned you did he?"

"Only so I can take care of you," Woody replied.

"Enough of this!" Bart cried as he snapped his fingers. Bounding around the side of the mountain came his faithful force-fielded hounddog. He growled at the sight of the cowboy and cowgirl. "Get e'm!"

The dog came right for them.

"What's the matter One-Eyed! Too scared to take me on yourself?" Woody provoked.

"I guess that goes for you too Betty!" said Jessie.

Bart looked offended, then he turned to his wife and nodded. "Hold it!" he ordered, and the dog paused in his charge. "I think you've got a point sheriff!". He and Betty came running for the two, while their dog stood on the side-lines. Dr. Porkchop shook his head and moved closer to the scene. When he was far enough away, Andy sneaked into the shack. It was slightly lit as the gang already had a few lanterns in the cave. Andy looked cautiously around before calling out.

"Bo?" There was nothing. "Bo?" Still nothing. Andy hoped to find her soon as he moved further inside.

Meanwhile, One-Eyed Betty was putting her fighting skills to use as she took on Jessie. One-Eyed Bart also used a mix of fighting skills against his opponent Woody. They were good, too good. At one point, Jessie was knocked back and so was Woody. In the moment of their helplessness, Bart signaled for his dog who quickly wrapped a forcefield around them. They struggled against the dog's hold, but they were unable to break out of the bubble. Bart laughed.

"I think that will hold you for a while."

Andy continued moving in deeper, then paused when he caught sight of the pile of money at his feet. Surely that meant that Bo was nearby?

"Bo?"

"Over here!"

He turned and saw her sitting on the ground, tied to a pole within the cave. Andy hurried over to her. He immediately began untying her.

"Oh thank goodness," Bo cried in relief. "I was afraid I'd be stuck with them forever. Where's the sheriff?"

"He and Jessie are distracting those crooks. I didn't see another way out of here from outside."

"There is one," Bo admitted as she pointed to the darker parts of the caverns, past the well lit area of the gold pile. "I heard Bart telling his wife that if they needed to make a fast getaway, they'd use the secret back door, down there."

"Must have been camoflagued. All right, let's go."

"Not so fast," a voice warned behind him. Bo gasped and Andy moved her behind him for protection as One-Eyed Bart and the others entered the cave. "Thought you could steal my guest did you?"

"What happened to my friends?"

"Oh don't worry about them. My dog has them well protected." He raised his gun. "Now be a good boy and stand against that pole."

"I don't think so!" Andy cried. He raised the rope that was used to tie Bo and whipped it at One-Eyed Bart. The gun went flying from his hand. He whipped at his feet, causing him to trip and fall onto his back. While Betty and Dr. Porkchop were distracted with him, Andy grabbed Bo's hand and headed for the back exit.

"Are you all right honey?"

"Get them!" Bart cried out as he made the effort to get back up again.

Once they made it to the back, both Andy and Bo wasted no time in scouting out the escape.

"It's got to be here somewhere. Hidden, but-"

"I found it," said Bo. Together she and Andy pushed against the hidden door-shaped exit. Sunlight struck them, but there was no time to celebrate as Bart and the others were right on their heels. He hurried back to his previous hiding spot in front of the shack and peeked out. He could see Woody and Jessie trapped within the dog's forcefield. Bullseye wandered around it, trying to figure out what to do.

"I have to help them," Andy decided. "Stay here."

He left Bo in his hiding spot and ran into the open. He whistled to get the dog's attention. "Hey hounddog, you forgot me!" He circled around him, taunting him. When the pooch could take it no more, he abandoned his hold on Woody and Jessie and made to capture Andy instead. As soon as they were freed, Jessie gave her famous yodel to signal their beloved pal Rex, the giant, yet gentle dinosaur who'd take care of the doggie. Rex came crashing through the trees of the forest, roaring.

As oon as he saw the dog bounding after his loyal friend, he roared in his defense. The dog roared back, not wanting to back down.

"That's it Rex, show him who's boss around here!" Andy cheered. Rex seemed to be encouraged by this and began to jump with excitement. "Give it all yah got!"

Rex gave his greatest roart yet which took the hound by surprise. He backed down in his hunt for Andy and went scurrying away into the cave just as Bart, Betty and Dr. Porkchop arrived at the scene. Andy hurried up to Rex's side and patted his enormous leg.

"Good job Rex!" Andy complimented. The enormous dinosaur happily hopped on the spot. Andy then joined up with Woody and Jessie who began cheering at their freedom. Bart sneered at their escape, then his eyes wandered to Andy's hiding spot.

"Good work partner," Woody complimented.

"Thanks sheriff."

"Did you get Bo?" asked Jessie.

"Yeah, I..." he trailed off as he saw that Bart had captured Bo again.

"Not so clever after all, are yah!" Bart cried.

"Don't you know you're not suppose to leave the girl behind?" Betty questioned.

"We're not leaving her behind!" shouted Woody angrily.

"I'm afraid you are," said Dr. Porkchop. He pulled out a remote control, pressed a green button and pulled down a lever. There was a strange mechanical sound that seemed to overpower the land. There was a strong vibration in the ground as the thing Dr. Porkchop called approached. It was a train. A huge, monsterous, mechanical pink train with so many shiny parts and bright lights that it looked like a thing of the far far future. And like his previous mode of transportation, it was made in his image, with the locomotive in the shape of a pig's head and the caboose acting as the end with the curly tail. Out of the window where the engineer shoud be, Bart's three one-eyed children waved at them. There were no tracks for the train to run on. Inbetween its wheels, bright lights shone. Dr. Porkchop pulled down the lever and the train came to a stop. He laughed at their shocked faces.

"It may appear I've gone down in my selection of getaway vehicles, but I assure you there's nothing this trackless train can't do and nowhere it can't go. Beat that."

"Oh I think we can, with Buzz Lightyear of Star Command on our side!" cried Andy.

And out from the bright blue sky came the daring space-ranger. He landed beside Andy and Woody.

"Looks like I've landed just in time," he said.

"Afraid not astro-nut," said One-Eyed Bart. He and the others quickly entered the train. Dr. Porkchop stepped in as an engineer and pulled the lever on the remote. The train started again. Bart waved at them as they started moving out of sight.

"Bart's getting away again!" cried Jessie.

"But he left the money behind," Andy pointed out. "Buzz he's taken Bo. Why don't you follow them overhead and see if you can't get her to safety."

"Will do," said Buzz as he saluted, then he took to the skies.

"Woody, Jessie," said Andy with a grin. "Let's catch ourselves a runaway train."

Andy chased after Dr. Porkchop's trackless train on Bullseye while Woody and Jessie rode in Rc. Andy still had the rope that he took off of Bo in his lap. As he neared the caboose, he started gathering it around one arm. It would be enough to tie up one of them, but with Woody and Jessie behind him, he wasn't worried that he'd have a lot of trouble.

"Get a little closer Bullseye," Andy commanded. Bullseye moved closer to the caboose. Andy steadied himself as he stood atop the moving steed. Andy carefully judged the timing, then he jumped through the opening on the caboose. He slid to the floor, but it was no serious harm done.

"Jessie take the wheel," Woody commanged as they neared the side of the second to last car. "I'm gonna help Andy."

"I'll be right behind yah," said Jessie.

Woody did a similar move to Andy, but instead of jumping into the train, he made to grab onto the open windows of the train. The last adventure with a train had him and One-eyed Bart confronting one another atop the train. He knew Bart wasn't ontop this time, but he could still get the jump on him by sneaking inside. Rc rolled back in his speed, leading Jessie to the side where she could board as well.

Andy moved along the car quietly. For the most part, there didn't seem to be anyone in the caboose, but he could be wrong. Dr. Porkchop's train seemed easy enough to navigate along. The interior was silver and appeared more like a machine than a train. It wasn't connected like a real train. From the outside, there had been what seemed to be little halls connecting the cars. Up ahead of Andy was a regular door into the next car. He headed straight for it and opened the door. He was just about to cross the small hall and into the next car when something red came flying at him. Andy had just enough time to duck One-Eyed Betty's purse as she came swinging it at him.

"Not so fast cutie," she cried. "We're taking this train trip out of here and there's nothing you can do about it."

"Don't count on it!"

By the time One-Eyed Betty turned around, Jessie had already jumped her and had her pinned to the floor.

"Nice one Jessie," Andy complimented.

"I've got this one taken care of, you and Woody can take out the others," said Jessie.

"Right." Andy hurried down the hall into the next car. He made it in time to see Woody entering through the window.

"Sheriff, Jessie's taken care of Betty."

"Then that leaves us with Bart and Porky."

Unbeknownst to them, their words were heard over a speaker that was set up in the corner of the car. In the locomotive, Bart grinned as he heard them. He nudged Dr. Porkchop.

"Sounds like we've got company."

"Then we've got a perfect way to get rid of it," said Dr. Porkchop as he nodded out the window. The train was curving around the mountain side, just alongside a large body of water. Bart stepped over to the controls on the train and pulled out a speaker. He pressed a button on the speaker and made an announcement.

"Hey Porky, I got a notion to send that Sheriff's sweetheart into the ocean!"

His casual announcement was heard by Woody and Andy. They peeked out the side of the window and quickly realised what was about to happen. They turned to see Bart peeking his head out from the second car. He grinned and waved at them. Then he removed himself from the window and opened up a side door on the car. Bo was ushered to the edge.

"Bart, no!" Woody yelled.

"Too late Sheriff!," Bart sneered. "You should have thought about her before you decided to follow me here!" He gave a push and sent Bo falling out of the car.

"BO!" Woody and Andy cried, while One-Eyed Bart laughed in triumph. But his laugh was short lived as he saw a shadow swoop down. Buzz lightyear was flying to her rescue. He managed to catch her right before she hit the water below. Bo sighed in relief, as did Woody and Andy. One-Eyed Bart simply looked dumbstruck by the whole thing. He growled and moved away from the door. Woody and Andy did the same as they raced to meet Bart.

When they made it to the car he occupied, they found him standing in the company of his other companion.

"Now we're even," said Woody.

"Not quite," said Bart. "It's about to be two to zero."

Woody dodged Bart's punches. Dr. Porkchop sought no reason to physically attack his opponent. He pulled out the same remote that controlled the train, but the button he pushed this time brought out mechanical hands within the car to detain Andy. Andy had his work cut out for him as he tried to dodge them.

"We may be in over our heads on this one," Woody admitted.

"Maybe," Andy agreed over the struggle. "But we're not going out like this!"

Andy turned, just barely dodging a mechanical hand that reached for him.

"Sorry to break your fall kid," said Dr. Porkchop as he pushed another button on his controller. Near the floor on the side walls, compartments opened up to allow small silver spheres to come flying toward Andy and Woody, causing them to slip to the floor. Dr. Porkchop and Bart laughed.

"Looks like you guys are out of a job of being heroes," Bart teased.

"I don't think so," said Andy. He raised his rope like a whip and knocked the controller out of the pig's hand. "Catch it Woody."

Woody made to catch the flying remote, but he slipped and the remote went flying over head. It crashed to the floor and broke. Porkchop and Bart looked horrified. The mechanical arms short-circuited and went flying forward. Woody and Andy ducked as the hands scooped up Dr. Porkchop and held him prisoner. While Bart was distracted by his capture, Woody took the rope and lassoed Bart.

"It's the end of the road for you One-Eyed Bart," said Woody. "Thanks to me and my deputy."

"It'll be the end of the road for all of us if there's nobody to control that train!" shouted Dr. Porkchop as he struggled against the arms.

Andy and Woody exchanged a fearful look. Then the door to the car burt open and in came Bart's three kids. They briefly studied the scene with mild interest.

"Daddy," they announced in unision.

"Boys, take care of those two!" Bart ordered.

They glanced up at Woody and Andy who were folding their arms as if to appear more dominant. "If I were you, I'd surrender," Andy advised. The three kids did just that as they raised their arms up. "We surrender," they said all at once. Bart rolled his eyes.

"Oh boy."

Andy hurried to the engine car while Woody ran back to get the broken remote. Andy knew nothing about trains, but he was pretty sure real trains didn't have hundreds of buttons, levers and blinking lights on them like Dr. Porkchop's train. Woody hurried into the car, desperately moving the lever back and forth.

"It's not working Andy. The remote to control this thing is broken."

"Well clearly he can control this thing another way," cried Andy. "Otherwise, why are there so many buttons." Andy quickly went to pressing as many buttons as he could and pulling all the levers he could get his hands on.

"Deputy," Woody warned in a low voice. "This scene looks familar."

Andy turned around to see him peeking out the window. Andy did the same. He recalled the sheriff experiencing a previous mission on a runaway train that was headed off a broken bridge. This one was headed off the edge of the mountain for the enchanted ocean below which has been known to vanish anyone and anything that enters its waters.

"We'll be lost forever," Andy cried. There was a thump in the car behind them. Woody opened the door and looked to see Buzz entering the train with Bo in his arms.

"Thought we shouldn't leave you guys behind," Buzz explained as he set Bo down. Jessie entered the car from several cars back with One-Eyed Betty as her prisoner.

Woody eyed them all with worry.

"It would probably have been better if you did," Woody told him.

"Sheriff, I think I've found a solution!" Andy suddenly cried.

Woody stepped back into the engine room with Andy who was hovering over a panel of multicolored buttons with many symbols; a ship, a train, an airplane, a submarine, a space ship and a pig symbol. His finger hovered between the airplane and the spaceship.

"I have a funny feeling these buttons can change our ride, but which one?"

"The green button doesn't work! Go for the blue button!" Dr. Porkchop cried from the other car. "The blue button!"

Woody and Andy briefly exchanged a confused look at the pig's ability to hear them from so far away. Andy shrugged it off and hit the blue button. The train immediately stopped. After a pause, it gave a jolt then started to shake. Andy and Woody tried to find their balance as the car shook them around. They hurried out of the car and into the second one with the rest of their friends.

"What's happening?" cried Jessie.

"The train," started Andy, "I think it's...changing."

No sooner had he said that did the cars start to collapse into one another, creating one room. The roof rose in a triangular shape as the whole contraption started to levitate. The bottom of the train pushed out in a triangular shape as well. The pig's face moved inward and it's eyes became the windows for the new creation. Andy had been right. Dr. Porkchop's train had transformed to a space ship. This new invention seemed to excite the children as they ''oooed'' and "aawwed" at the change. Andy peeked out the window to the ground several feet below.

"Cool."

"I beg to differ," said Woody as he too looked down. "Do you even know how to fly this thing?"

"Well, like riding a horse, there's a first for everything."

"Sweet day in the morning we forgot Bullseye and Rc!" cried Jessie.

"And the stolen money!" Woody reminded them.

Deputy Andy took his position in what had become a captain's seat and took the steering wheel in his hands. "Then let's go back for them and make our way back to town." He turned the wheel and the spaceship turned around. One-Eyed Bart, who was still tied up and was now in the same room as all the others, sneered at Dr. Porkchop.

"A train would make a better getaway you said. I should have learned my lesson the first time."

Dr. Porkchop frowned back as if he could never understand the technology of his creations.

Back in the town, the townsfolk had come to realize their streets were safe and came out of hiding. Everything was back to normal. That was, until one of them pointed up at the sky. They were shocked to see the giant space craft hovering above them with flashing lights and spinning layers of steel. They recognized the pig face and immediately feared that the villains were back. Rather than run, they simply cowered on the spot and watched as it landed. Then one side of the ship rose like a door and extended a platform to the ground. The first to step out was Buzz Lightyear, who waved to the townsfolk. Some of them waved back. Buzz stepped back inside then returned carrying several bags of money in his hands. The townsfolk's weariness went away and they errupted into cheers. Following Buzz was Jessie. She too carried a few sacks of money while managing to hang onto her prisoner. Rc and Bullseye were, each with sacks of money, followed by Woody with One-Eyed Bart and Dr. Porkchop. Andy was last with the last of the stolen money. The crowd continued to cheer for the heroes before them. They had saved the day again.

Sheriff Woody patted his deputy on the shoulder.

"Good work partner," he congratulated.

"I couldn't have done it without you," Andy told him.

"Yee-Haw! We did it!" cried Jessie. "Now let's send these crooks to jail."

"Jail! Is it over?" cried an anxious voice.

Everyone turned to see the giant dinosaur barging his way down the road. "What about the force-fielded-"He halted as he had been turning in his excitement and failed to see he was indanger of ruining one of the town's most important buildings. The cardboard box labeled as jail went tumbling over as his tail knocked it down.

"Ooh, nice going tender foot," Mr. Potato Head remarked as he struggled to pull off the shoe lace that had acted as a rope. "You just demolished the town's only jail."

"Oh no, I'm sorry!" Rex apologized frantically.

Andy smiled as he pulled off his hat. "That's okay Rex. It's over. We've already saved the day."

Buzz and Jessie lowered their hands from their pretending to carry bags of money. They traded solemn smiles with Woody as the rest of the toys gathered together near the space ship that had been constructed with a carboard box with the drawing of a pig's head on it. The train part of it was laying nearby as several shoe boxes tied together.

"Well, that was, fun," said Slinky as he came up to them.

"Yeah, it was," said Rex sadly. He couldn't help how he sounded. They all knew this was the end of it. However, there was one who felt it didn't have to be so.

"And it's not over yet!" cried Jessie.

They turned their heads and saw her up on Andy's dresser. She was standing next to Andy's radio and flipped a switch. The music that blarred was country. The gang looked to one another with some confusion, yet understanding.

"I say we finish this off with a good old fashion square dance!"

Smiles floated around the room. Without orders of what to do, the toys set about moving the sets back in order to create more space. Immediately the center of the town became the dance floor. Mr. Potato Head offered his hand to a giggling Mrs. Potato Head. She took it and he twirled her around on the floor. Western dancing may not have been the choice dance for many of the toys, but considering they had all taken part in a western play, it was most fitting. But it was more than that. Rex stomped around on the sidelines next to Hamm who was trying to avoid his feet getting stepped on.

This play had invoked Andy's old imagination that he shared with them. An imagination that he still carried, that let the toys know he hadn't completely changed from the little boy he once was. Woody tapped his feet and clapped his hands as he and Slinky watched the potato heads and a few of the other toys in the room take to the floor. But Bo wasn't about to let Woody miss out as she came up to him and extended her hand. Woody immediately buckled with embarrassement and his cheeks appeared to turn bright red. Slinky nudged him from his shyness, causing Woody to accept Bo's offer to dance. He bowed before her then naturally whirled her in rythm to the music. On the side with the watching crowd, Andy cheered Woody on. His hat was back in place on his head, and the feeling of saddeness that had started to come from the ending of the play vanished. Country wasn't his thing, but he was in the western mood and this was a celebration, so to speak. Andy had not only meant to do this for Woody, but for all of his toys. He had promised playtime to Rex when they were still in the park. He couldn't have gone back on those words. This was his last chance to repay them for what they had done for him. For his closest pals who had risked their lives to see that he was back to normal, and home again. He knew they deserved more than one simple play, but for now, he saw that it was enough. All they wanted was a little more time in the company of their owner, in the best way possible. And though it seemed this play was almost similar to the way Marvelo intended with shrunken kids and their toys, Andy believed this was the better way to do it; if a kid had to be shrunk that is.

Jessie climbed down from the dresser and made her way over to Buzz who was watching the dancing next to Andy. She grabbed his arm and started to pull.

"Come on Buzz, let's you and me hit the dance floor!" she cried excitedly. Now it was Buzz's turn to buckled with embarassment.

"Ah..I don't think...I mean, us space rangers can't..ah..." he stammered nervously.

"Oh don't be silly Buzz. Come on let's dance."

"I, I can't I..."

"Ok, then how about you deputy?"

Andy was taken aback when Jessie suddenly approached him. Buzz look flabergasted at being turned down, yet he was the one who didn't want to dance.

"Oh I ah, I'm not really..." Andy stammered with as much embarassment as Buzz.

"Come on, it'll be fun!" Jessie cried as she pulled onto his arm and led him to the floor. By that time the music had changed to an old classic. One that Andy was not familiar with, but Woody, Jessie and Bullseye were. Once they hit the stage, the attention was on them and the others cleared the way to watch. The song played to the tune of "_Woody's Roundup"._

Andy had no real idea what he was doing. For the most part it was Jessie leading him in a mix of country steps and twirls. But Andy let go of any real embarrassment for the moment, due to the cheers and encouragment from his peers as well as his own enjoyment of the situation. They danced circles around the stage. Their feet moving in tune with the motions in the mix of a few dosey-does. It was nicely finished off with a dip of Jessie. The cheers became louder and everyone applauded. The toys came up to them, congratulating their efforts.

"Good job deputy," said Woody who was still clapping for him. "I didn't know you had it in you."

Andy laughed as his cheeks flushed. "Neither did I."

As the rest of the toys congregated behind them, Woody and Andy wandered away.

"Thanks for that Andy. It really meant a lot to them, and me."

"It's the least I could do, after you'd gone through so much trouble to help me. I owed you."

They stopped their walking when they reached the chair. Andy's hand fell upon it as he looked up to the desk, his thoughts going back to when he came across Woody in his lifeless state. Now, Woody would be forced to go back to that, provided that the antidote did erase his memories. If so, he couldn't go back to that life without telling Woody how much their time together meant to him.

"It's been, some adventure, hasn't it?" said Andy quietly. The rest of what he wanted to say, what he felt he needed to say was caught in his throat.

Woody nodded. "Yes it has, and you've handled it well. You're dad would have been proud."

Andy gazed at him with wonder. Hardly had he ever heard such words, unless it came from his mother. But now it was different coming from Woody. The sheriff who seemed to have become more than a best friend. He had become a protector, a guardian since his father went away. That in itself positioned him almost like a father figure. But he was his best friend first. Andy felt like admitting how his role appeared to him, but saw he didn't need to. Woody always seemed to understand.

"Really?" Andy asked quietly as he thought of the conversation he had with his dad. It had been years since he has spoken to him. It had never crossed his mind to ask Woody about him during the journey. There were more important matters to deal with. But that wasn't the full excuse. He had no longer consciously thought of Woody as being his dad's. Woody was always his. Maybe that's what had made him so special.

"What makes you so sure?" Andy continued.

Woody turned his head as the soft smile fell from his face. "Because, that's the kind of person you are, someone to be proud of. I don't think about it much but, I see so much of him in you. But you are your own person Andy, and that's what makes you special."

"Was my dad, really like me?" Andy asked hesitantly, suddenly curious.

"I'll say. He had a big imagination, which I'm pleased to see he's passed along to you. We used to have round-ups just like me and you had. He was kind, always doing things for others, and bright like you. It was hard to see him grow up as well, but I was glad that he kept me around, even though it was in the attic."

Andy frowned. "I'm sorry Woody."

"Don't be. If he hadn't, I never would have met you. And I know you're going to grow into a great man like him."

Andy smiled to himself. Woody always seemed to know the right thing to say. "Maybe that's what made you so special to me. You were my dad's."

Andy turned away as his emotions started to overwhelm him. It was even harder now to commit to the goal of returning to normal. He shook his head.

"I don't wanna forget you," he cried. "Maybe, I can write myself a note like I did for those kids. I could-"

Andy stopped as Woody's hand fell on his shoulder. "Oh Andy, this is probably for the best. You're going to go on to do bigger and greater things, which means you can't really spend all your time talking to us. Besides that, Molly and mom would miss you."

Andy gave a dry laugh. "I don't know about Molly."

Woody smiled. "And don't worry about it. You won't forget us. I know you won't. You'll always take good care of us."

Andy gave him a incredulous look, then he softened. "You have so much faith in me."

"Of course I do," said Woody as he gently shook his shoulder. "You're my favorite deputy afterall."

Their moment together was interrutped as Buzz approached and cleared his throat to alert them.

"Are we, ah, ready?" he asked them. Behind Buzz the other toys had already lined up, ready to say their goodbyes to Andy. They were all putting on a brave face.

Andy looked up at Woody, then he turned to Buzz and nodded. They then crossed the room over to the others.

The toys that had been left behind were the first to say their farewells. Some nodded and a few, like Sarge, saluted. Others extended their hands and Andy gladly shook it.

"Goodbye dear," said Bo as Andy came to her. "Oh, and thank you for rescuing me from One-Eyed Bart."

"Oh it was-," Andy was silenced as Bo stepped up to him and planted a gentle kiss on his cheek, causing it to turn bright red. "Nothing."

Next were the Potato Heads. Mrs. Potato Head couldn't help crying.

"Oooh, they grow up so fast," she cried.

"Jeez, you act like he's moving out of the house," said Mr. Potato Head in annoyance. "Anyways, see you around kid. You put us through a lot of trouble, but it's nothing I wouldn't go through again for you."

"Thanks," Andy replied.

Bullseye wagged his tail as he crossed in front of himself and Jessie.

"I appreciate your help Jessie."

"Shucks, it was nothin'. Why you gave us some of the greatest play times of our lives, and compared to this adventure-" Jessie stopped as Bullseye's excitement got the best of him and he hurried forward to lick Andy's face. Andy giggled and went to calm him down. Jessie bit her lip and stepped closer. "It was nothing like meeting you." She embraced him in a hug and spun him around. Andy patted her back and smiled back at her. He then approached Hamm, Rex and Slinky.

"Take care of yourself kid," said Hamm.

"I will."

"So long Andy," said Slinky.

"Bye Slink."

"Don't forget about..well, I mean I know you might, but, don't.." Rex stuttered as he tried to come up with the right words to say. He fumbled his claws together in fear of this parting. Andy resting his hands on his claws to ease his tension.

"I could never, really, forget you guys. You're the first best friends I've ever had."

All three nodded in thanks for the compliment. And just as before, Buzz extended his hand.

"Good luck out there space ranger. The world can be a scary place for young men."

Andy laughed. "Not to mention, young men who've shrunk. I think I can handle myself now."

It was true. Growing up had been a major fear he hadn't fully realized until he'd gone on this adventure. But after everything he'd been through, he learned that he could deal with it and that he was no longer afraid of it. Andy proudly shook his hand. And last but not least was his old time pal Woody, putting up a brave smile. Woody was amazed at how close this adventure had made them. It was just as they wanted. But even if Andy was going to forget their excursions through the city, he didn't believe for a second that Andy would ever forget about them. He knew he'd be there for them like they would be for him.

Andy grinned at him sheepishly, then he pulled off his hat and holster and handed them over.

"Guess I'd better give these back."

Woody took them and stared down at them as their western play came back to his mind. He looked at his owner, touched that he was willing to replay a part of his childhood just for them. Andy too was touched. His eyes were shining and his voice was breaking as he tried to tell him what was in his heart.

"I'm, I'm..gonna miss you Woody," he finally cried as he moved forward to embrace him. Woody gladly accepted the hug.

"I'm going to miss you too, partner."

The embrace seemed to last forever with both Andy and Woody reflecting on their special times together. Though it was a sad affair to say goodbye, they broke apart with smiles on their faces. Andy then turned to face the others who were all expressing the same emotions he was feeling.

"Thanks guys, for everything."

Buzz walked up to him carrying the antidote. Without a word, Andy unscrewed the top. He raised it over his head, but hesitated.

This was it. This was the final moment he had in the company of his beloved toys. He glanced at them and there were nods of approval for his actions. Andy nodded and they stepped back to avoid getting splashed. Luckily the bottle wasn't too heavy for him to be able to do it himself. He turned it and let the liquid flow over him. After it was empty he laid it down and began rubbing the solution away from his eyes and nose. It was like water, but had a faint scent of sugar. At first, Andy was dubious that the chemical actually would work, but then he began to feel fatigued. It was late and he'd been through a lot, but he knew the main source was the antidote working its magic. But those two factors were strong enough to make him yawn.

"Come on cowboy, let's get you to bed. Mom will be here early in the morning," said Woody as he escorted him to the giant bed.

Andy glanced up at it. He felt his eyelids drooping, but he forced himself to stay awake as he and Woody climbed up the bed sheets. The toys gathered closer to them on the floor, watching. Andy's whole trip had come full circle. Now he was right back to where he originally started. Andy laid down with his head against the edge of his pillow. Woody had made the motion of trying to pull back the covers, but Andy motioned that he was fine. He now lay looking up at him with tired eyes.

"Woody," Andy sighed.

Woody smiled and took ahold of his hand. "Whatever happens. Whatever you decide, we'll always be there for you," he promised.

Andy hadn't truly thought of what he'd do when he awoke. He'd been afraid to consider what he'd think of his toys, once he forgot what they'd done for him. He wasn't fully confident that he'd play with them, but he hoped he wouldn't forget them. He hoped that he wouldn't throw them out. He'd go on with his life, but he hoped he would remember to do something for them before he was completely separated from them.

Andy gave him a tired smile as he struggled to stay awake. There was a little bit of fear in not knowing how the antidote was going to take affect. Either way, Woody did not leave his side. He stayed there watching as Andy slowly closed his eyes. For Andy, like Woody, it was a peaceful moment. The last thing he saw was his sheriff doll. The last thing he heard was his words echoing in his ears.

His grip loosened in Woody's hand as he succummed to darkness. A sigh escaped, as he finally drifted off to sleep.

**Oh,...get out the hankies. I know you probably need them.**

**I hope the playtime at the begining felt like a story within a story (as long as you imagined it how Andy and the others did). It was hard to construct it because I didn't want it to be like TS3's playtime, but I also wanted it to be a western for Woody. So hopefully there's enough original parts. And obviously, this is the first time Andy's included himself in the play (which is something Bonnie started doing in TS3)**

**The dance, inspired by Buzz and Jessie's dance. I searched around for Western dances I could follow in tune to _Woody's Roundup_, but I couldn't find any. So basically I watched Buzz and Jessie dance and imagined it as Andy and Jessie. Also, it didn't occur to me that Andy's goodbyes were like Woody's goodbyes to his friends when he thought he was going to college with Andy. (And if you're wondering why the antidote is not meant to be drunk, pouring it over him also causes his clothes to grow with him.)**

**I've never really written something tearful, but I hope those goodbyes at the end made it happen. That you really...felt it. Woody and Andy got to briefly talk about their dad, and everything came full circle with Andy in the bed where he started. With only one chapter left, the moment of truth still awaits. Will Andy remember them? Either way, I think you'll be satisfied with the results ;)**

**I just want to thank you all for following the adventure through. You're reviewing inspired me to keep it going; to write the hard, complicated scenes and get the most out of this story not only for me but for you. So review til the end and I expect each and every one of you to be there for the conclusion of this thrilling adventure!**


	36. Chapter 36

**discaimer: I do not own Toy story nor do I own Randy Newman's song "When I'm gone"**

**Here it is guys, the final chapter. I just want to say I had a blast writing this story and turning it into the grand adventure it's become, all in the spirit of Toy Story with its characters and life lessons. I was motivated to write it for several reasons. The first one was the fact that nobody had written a story where Andy was shrunk. So, I guess I can thank all those who didn't write a story like that. (Thank you). The other reason was to create another Andy and Woody story, which there are so few stories of (especially a long adventure and not a oneshot). And in the end, I hoped to inspire other writers to create unique stories, not only for Toy Story, but other genres as well. So many fanfics are the same. I always shoot for something unique and creative and I try to find stories like that. When I can't, I write them myself. **

**I hope to write another Toy Story fic, but if I do, it probably wouldn't be as friendly as this one was. It was always meant to be a kind of Toy Story 2 1/2. So once you finish this fic, I expect you'll probably watch Toy Story 3. (Or watch them in order, but include this fic after Toy Story 2). Like many of you who feel this would make an awesome movie, I think it would also make an awesome videogame (TS video game that is). **

**On to the conclusion. Enjoy ;)**

Fresh Start

Andy groaned and turned slightly as the morning came. The sun was shining brightly through the blinds of his window. Slowly he opened his eyes and blinked. For a minute he did not move. He felt odd, like a great weight of exhaustion and fear had been lifted and was replaced by a great sense of something he couldn't identify. He stared up at the ceiling, frowning slightly. He felt like he had experienced a fantastic dream, but he couldn't recall a single detail.

Andy sat up, bewildered. His confusion only intensified as he looked down at his clothes. He was surprised to see that he had gone to bed without changing. What was even stranger was that the clothes he was wearing was the same ones he wore when he saw his mother and Molly off on their trip. His frown deepened. He pulled his legs over the side of the bed and glanced up at the calendar. A week had passed. It was like his clothing had confirmed it; and now that he thought about it, his mother's departure was the last thing he remembered.

He raised a hand and started massaging his temples as if it would stir up some explaination. Some reason for his loss of memory. But it was all something of a blur.

"Why can't I...," he started to ask himself, but quickly fell silent. He sighed, then stood up to try and shake himself awake. He was surprised that he wasn't alarmed by his memory loss. He knew he should be panicking; calling up everyone he knew for the details. The odd thing was, he wasn't scared. He was confused, but he wasn't disturbed. Andy shook his head. He figured something would come to him if he stopped trying to remember. The best way to keep his mind off his supposed loss was to keep busy. With one glance around the room, Andy saw that cleaning it was just the thing to do.

Andy stepped away from his bed and took a closer look around. The room already seemed to be cleaned. If he had been here all week, it would surely be in an unlivable state. Or at least half unlivable. He wasn't the kind of person to keep a messy room, but he did need encouragement from his mother to keep it tidy. But it looked like someone already kept it tidy for him. The only thing about were a collection of cardboard boxes. Andy recognized them immediately as the boxes he used to portray a western town for Woody and the rest of his toys. He picked up the box labeled as a jail.

"What the...what are these.."

He couldn't understand what it was doing in the middle of the floor. He had long ago folded them up and hidden them in the back of the closet. Andy decided it was another part of his missing memory, but he couldn't discard the box just yet. He couldn't help studying his childish handwritting as hidden memories on the surface. It was like trying to remember a dream from years ago. Everything was on the tip of his tongue, but he couldn't say what had happened, nor could he imagine it. He shook himself out of it and started gathering up the other boxes. He stopped when he came across a large green dinosaur. He was standing between the saloon and bank, looking as Andy remembered him looking. Andy picked up Rex and dropped the jail box. He ran his fingers along his back and realized he was mildly sticky. There was also a faint scent of lime if he wasn't mistaken. Andy took a moist towlette and cleaned the area.

He smiled at his handiwork, then became the voice of the dino by giving Rex a great roar. He laughed.

"Good ol' Rex, keeping the town...safe," he said as his eyes fell to two other familiar characters. There was Bullseye laying not too far away from a box with a pig's head drawn onto it. Laying against him was his old cowgirl. He stepped over and picked them up.

"Jane? No...Jessie?" he questioned, frowning at how he knew the name. He had gave her the name Jane, but somehow he knew that wasn't right. He glanced over at the toy box. He was fifteen years old. His toys should have long ago been placed in there. Andy turned back to Jessie.

He abandoned his job of collecting the boxes and instead started gathering up his toys on the bed. Old pals he hadn't paid much attention to in years, particularly favorites like Hamm and Slinky, and Rex, Jessie and Bullseye. He gathered up the aliens and Mrs. Potato Head. When he got to Mr. Potato Head, he was surprised to see a scratch on the underside of his legs.

"Where'd that come from?"

He shrugged and placed him next to his wife. As long as he was still in good shape. As Andy continued to go around the room, he made a few other startling discoveries. His old racer RC had somehow magically appeared back in his room after being sold. And there was a large red jeep that he had never seen before. It pushed Andy into wondering again about what he had forgotten. Andy still didn't know, but as he picked up his old Buzz Lightyear, he felt a nasty hollowness in his heart. If he wasn't mistaken, he was sure it was sadness. Andy pressed a button to release his wings. Then he pressed another.

_"To Infinity and beyond!" _cried Buzz's electronic voice.

Andy gave him a soft smile. For some reason he felt he had heard those words at a closer range, and not too long ago. He raised his eyes to look at Buzz's partner in crime fighting. Woody sat as he had whenever he first abandoned him, propped up against his desk lamp. His smile continued to grace his face as he looked back at Andy. Andy sat Buzz down next to Jessie and crossed the room toward his favorite cowboy. It was strange, but he was suddenly overwhelmed with gratitude as he looked down into Woody's eyes. With a gentle hand, he lifted Woody away from his solitary confinement. For a full minute Andy just stared into his face. A comforting warmness enveloped him. It was like all the confusion and missing scenes had fallen into place, even though he couldn't remember anything specific. Something was there. Something erased the fear and put him in tune with his transition from boy to young man. It had been a troubling situation mixed with conflicting emotions, but now that he looked at Woody, it all became clear. It was like they had talked about it, or rather he had confessed how he really felt about growiing up. Something he would be willing to share with his dad.  
"Dad," he said quietly as he fingered the side of Woody's face. A new memory was resurfacing. One that involved chatting with his father, and him telling Andy it would be okay. Andy shut his eyes, unsure of how accurate that memory was. He was only roused out of his thoughts at the sound of a car pulling up. He moved to the window and peeked through the blinds. His mom and Molly were back. Andy's brows furrowed at the sight of seeing them so soon.

"What's going on here?" he asked no one in particular. "Why are they back so soon? Why can't I remember anything?"

But the questions didn't feel very important. The only thing that was important was Woody who was still resting in his hand. He smiled at him as he straighted his hat on his head. He then reached for the plastic loop and pulled his string.

_"You're my favorite deputy"_ Woody confessed through his voice box.

Andy grinned. Something told him that wasn't suppose to be the next line he should say. But he could truly hear him saying that, without the use of a pullstring. But that would imply that he was real-alive in someway. _'If only you were, real',_ he thought. For now, he settled with his own imagined thoughts.

"And you're my favorite sheriff," Andy told him.

Andy hesitated before placing him near the window. Maybe now wasn't the time to imprison them in the toy box. He wasn't ready for that step in his life, but he was ready to grow up. He walked over to the door, but gave one last look at all of his toys before he left the room.

Andy gingerly moved down the stairs as he tried to come up with an explaination for his mom. As far as he knew, there wasn't a believable excuse to make about why he couldn't remember anything. He paused at the bottom of the stairs and looked at the door. Deciding he had a few minutes to kill, he crossed into the livingroom and turned on the t.v. A news anchor was delivering the latest news. The last thing he wanted to hear was information on some disaster. He was just about to walk away when the anchor mentioned a startling situation, classified as _Breaking News._

_"In other news, thirty one children were discovered in a warehouse just outside of the city limits."_

"Huh?" Andy questioned as he sat himself down before the television. The scene switched from the anchor to the warehouse that was surrounded by many police cars. The officers were shown escorting kids out of the warehouse. What was strange was that a majority of them were wearing costumes, like they had been to a Halloween party.

_"Officers have discovered them to be the missing children who were recently vanishing without a trace. They were found with the help of one of the kidnapped victims, Cole Stevens who contacted police after being prompted to do so by an anonymous letter."_

The scene focused on a small, confused, brown haired boy who's name was shown before his image as Cole Stevens. In his arms was a plush troll doll that he used to comfort his nervousness at being interviewed by a tall reporter. He had just finished asking him how he and the others were kidnapped.

"I don't, I don't know how we were, kidnapped. None of us remember how we got here. But I found this letter," he explained as he pulled out the note for the reporter to see. "It said we'd been kidnapped and we had to call the police."

"You don't remember anything of what the kidnapper did to you?"

"No, sir, but we found a lot of neat toys," he cried as he lifted the troll up to the camera.

_"Aside from the children's lack of memory and their dress of costumes, police have discovered the warehouse to be a small toy factory containing many toys." _The scene switched between the few kids who were holding toys to officers who were carting away a majority of the plastic creations in steel boxes. _"They have discovered that a majority of the toys have been updated with various abilities and weaponry that pose a potential danger."_

A mustached officer was now being interviewed as the boxed up toys were placed in a special vehicle.

"I've never come across any toys that can be considered as dangerous as the ones we found. But I suppose we can thank our abductor for that. But they may not be fully disposed of. We plan to have their additions removed to make them safe, and if they are savable, we'll find good homes for them."

_"The abductor in question was discovered to be a resident named Wendall Warrick."_

"Warrick?" said Andy in surprise. Andy saw proof as his old neighbor from down the street was being escorted out of the warehouse by two policemen. He was putting up a struggle and shouting out for everyone to hear.

"It wasn't just me! It wasn't my idea! You've got to believe me!" The police walked him right up to one of the police cars, but he struggled to get his last message out before being forced inside. "It's the toys! The toys are alive I say! Ask them, ask any of them! They'll tell you! It was their idea!"

It was all reminiscent of Al who had also proclaimed the same thing; the toys were alive. Andy shook his head at this latest delusional display. He had always thought Warrick was an odd fellow, especially with his love for toys. Apparently he had never grown up and was driven to madness with too much time around his toys.

_"Officers cannot claim whether this display is an act or his actual beliefs. We are assured that he will be spending some time under heavy observation and treatment. In the meantime the families of all the missing children will be contacted. We may never understand the reason for their abduction or the circumstances that took place. But we can be sure that these children will be returned safely to their homes."_

Andy smiled. He was happy to see that things had ended so well for the poor kids, but he couldn't help feeling that he had something to do with it. Either way, he had learned that he wasn't the only person who was feeling lost and confused. Andy turned away from the news and approached the front door as he heard the car doors slam. He was pushed back into reality where his mom was home. He heard her jingling the keys out of her purse. Suddenly Andy felt like he was one of the missing kids who hadn't seen his parent in a long time. Without waiting for her to open the door with the key, he unlocked and opened it himself. Andy's eager and relieved expression met his mother's surprised and confused one.

"Andy?" she asked. "What are you doing here? I didn't expect you for another week."

"Mom," he answered quietly. It was weird. He felt like he hadn't seen her in weeks when it had just been the other day; or rather, it was the last thing he remembered so he couldn't be sure. All he knew was that he felt a desperate longing for her, as if he had gone through so much in the past couple of days. The _much_ he couldn't quite remember.

"Mom," he cried as he came forward and embraced her.

"Andy?"

"I missed you so much," he mumbled. Upon getting over the surprise of her son's sudden show of affection, she returned the hug.

"Oh? I've missed you too."

At her side, Molly was rolling her eyes. "What a baby," she teased. Andy took notice of her. For once she wasn't wearing something only a teenaged girl shoud try to pull off. She was wearing a decent pink blouse and jeans, and her hair was tied back with a pink scarf. But what had stolen much of Andy's attention was what was in her hands. She was carrying a blonde headed doll dressed for a sock-hop with her poodle skirt.

"Is that a, toy in your hands?" Andy questioned in a playful taunting manner. Molly fidgeted on the spot with mild embarassment.

"Ah, Sarah gave her to me. She always thinks I'm such a baby."

"Really," he said as if he didn't buy her whole explaination.

"Okay," Molly sighed in defeat. "I actually took some of your advice. Sarah showed her to me and, I liked her."

Andy nodded. "That's good Molly. You see, I knew you weren't too old for toys. You were just willing to grow up too fast."

Molly looked down at the pavement and nodded. There was a connection there, he realized. His words connected with his own previous fears of growing up. But those fears seemed to have vanished overnight. One way or another, however it happened, he'd come to have a better understanding of what it means to grow up.

"Yeah," she agreed quietly. Then much to her surprise, Andy pulled her into a hug.

"I missed you too little sis."

Mrs. Davis watched the scene with much adoration, but also with much confusion.

"We're happy to see you too Andy, but what are you doing here so soon? Didn't your camping trip with Jen go all right?"

At the mention of Jen, Andy felt a pang of bitterness in his heart. He couldn't help feeling that the last time they spoke, it had ended in disappointment. Whatever the reason, he no longer felt exhilarated at the thought of her.

"That's just it mom, I don't know. I don't, even remember going on the camping trip with her."

"What?"

"I mean it. I can't remember anything that happened after you left."

His mother and sister stared back at him blankly.

"I'm serious. I can't remember anything," he cried. "But, I don't find that scary. Actually, I feel kind of content." There was silence following his words. His mother and sister exchanged a confused look before turning back to him.

"Okay Andy, if you don't want to tell me about your camping trip that's fine," said Mrs. Davis with a knowing smile. "Come on Molly, you can help me set up lunch." She moved past Andy and stepped inside.

"But mom, I'm serious. I don't remember anything."

"Well that's okay hon, we'll see what Jen has to say about it," Mrs. Davis replied.

"But mom."

Andy went on to argue, but it didn't last long. It didn't seem to matter anymore; not to himself or to his mother and sister. He decided to let it go and just enjoy his reunition with his family. So while he was sitting down to lunch, listening to their memories of what happened on their trip, someone else was eavesdropping.

Woody stood just outside the door of his room, catching the conversation as words drifted up to his ears. In the time Andy had left them in his chosen places in the room, the toys had kept up their lifelessness for quite some time. They had been on the edge since Andy had woken. Anticipating the possibility that Andy hadn't forgotten a thing. That the drug would to its magic and unshrink him, but allow him to retain his memories. But their owner had stepped around his room in total confusion. Nothing to recall except maybe the day his mother left and he went to bed, awaiting a camp-out with Jen. Woody wouldn't admit it aloud, but he had been dying to spring to life when Andy came to him. He knew it was the same for the other toys, even if they didn't admit it. They understood Andy was at a loss and they wished to fill him in. To explain what he had been through. But an obvious knowledge kept them still. Whether or not their coming to life before him arose the missing pieces in Andy's memory, they would be breaking their rule. There had been enough rule breaking, but it was all for Andy. And besides that, they had come to terms with the fact that Andy was growing up. He had his place to fill and they had theirs.

So for a while, the toys simply lay, thinking back on their adventure. But in order to confirm that Andy was really lost to them, Woody had walked wordlessly over to the door to listen. Andy's words downstairs confirmed it. He sighed and stepped back into the room as the other toys jumped down from the bed and gathered near him.

"I guess it worked, huh," said Hamm.

"Yeah," said Woody with an air of disappointment. "It worked. He doesn't remember a thing."

"Well that's good right?" asked Buzz. "It's what we wanted for him. To forget all the bad things that happened to him."

"Yeah Buzz, but what about the good things that happened?" asked Woody desperately. "I mean, us. He's forgotten all about us, again. He's forgotten how much we care about him."

Buzz and the other toys exchanged looks of disappointment. They hated the idea that their talk with Andy had been a waste. But, when they thought about it, they started to realize it might not have been.

"Well, he might not remember us, but that doesn't mean we'll forget him," said Slinky.

"What?"

"We got to talk to Andy!" cried Rex excitedly.

"And we got to know a lot more about the kid," said Mr. Potato Head.

"Something no other toy has gotten the luxury of," stated Hamm.

Their looks of sadness changed to warm smiles. They may have lost Andy in more ways than one, but the memories of what they had with their owner filled them with happiness. Buzz nodded at them, then turned to Woody.

"It may not be as bad as it seems," Buzz told him. "Even if he doesn't recall his little adventure with us, I think some part of what happened to him remained."

"And what part is that Buzz?" asked Woody in a tired manner.

"What he learned about growing up. He told us his fears about it, but now I don't think he'll have a problem."

"Well that's great," said Woody, though he didn't sound pleased about it. He walked away from the group and headed to the chair. He climbed up and from there, pulled himself back up onto the desk.

"Do you think he'll be okay Buzz?" asked Jessie, who was watching Woody with worry. Buzz patted her shoulder gently.

"I think it'll take him some time."

"What about Andy? Do you really think, he'll be all right?"

Buzz turned to her. Her face was scrunched up in deep worry for their owner's health and safety.

"Yes, I really think he'll be all right. And we know he can take care of himself. But if he ever needs us-"

"But, he might not need us now."

Buzz didn't want to lie to her. He didn't want to tell her that he would still be interested in them. This situation, the aftermath of the drama was meant for Andy to learn how to move on. But he still had a few more years before he was gone. In the meantime, he was still connected to them.

"Maybe not at the moment Jessie, but he has rememebered how special we are to him."

He crossed the room and followed Woody's path up onto the desk. Woody sat gazing through the blinds of the window.

"Be honest Buzz," said Woody who hadn't bothered to turn around when Buzz walked up to him. "He's done with us."

"Don't think of it that way sheriff. It was all for the best. We had to help Andy."

"I don't regret helping him Buzz," said Woody quietly. "I just, don't want it to be over."

Buzz looked at him with much sympathy, then he stepped over to him and laid a hand on his shoulder.

"That may not be absolute Woody. Aside from remembering what he learned, I believe there's something else he retained."

"What?" he asked in a slightly bitter tone.

"His connection with us."

Woody gazed at the space ranger in wonder. It was as if those words expressed a meaning he had temporarily forgotten. If he had concentrated on the moment Andy had picked him up again and pulled his string, he would've recalled that he did feel that connection. That he had achieved success in reuniting Andy with all of them. Woody smiled. It was more than Woody could ask for as an after-effect of the cure.

"He called me his favorite sheriff." Woody paused and looked across the room at the bullitin board on the wall. Amongst the clutter of papers pinned to it, there was a picture of a young Andy, surrounded by all of his toys. Woody's smile widened. "I'm still his best pal."

And now Woody knew, it wasn't too late. That they were still Andy's best friends, and he would be there for them. Woody turned to the toys who were walking close to the desk. They too were happy that they could still carry hope that they would still be needed by Andy. Their smiling faces quickly dropped at the sound of Andy coming up the stairs. As quickly as they could, the toys raced back to their places on the bed. Woody corrected his position near the window and lay limp as Andy entered. Once again, it was a struggle for Woody not to spring to life. But he handled the temptation better this time.

Andy stood in the room and surveyed the clean up he had to do. The boxes had to be put back in their places, and the scattered items on the floor that seemed to create one of his old playtime scenes had to be reorganized. Then there were the toys. He raised his eyes up to the bed, staring at them with a look of regret. He really was too old for those toys, and it was time for them to have their place in the toy box. But as he started picking them up, he realized he just couldn't do it. Not now anyways. Where ever this new feeling of gratitude and devotion for them came from, he couldn't ignore it by hiding them away. It felt like a betrayal.

"What am I doing?" he asked himself as oppossed to asking them. "I can't just abandon you guys can I?"

He set Rex and Mr. Potato back on his bed.

"I don't know what it is, but I can't help feeling like we've been through more than we've ever been through before in the last couple of days. It's crazy but, for that reason alone, I think you guys deserve to stay out for a while."

So rather than deliver them to the prison of the toy box, Andy began arranging them around various spots in his room. Most of them collected on the floor. It didn't matter if someone thought it was childish. They wouldn't understand. He himself didn't fully understand, but he was okay with it. After he dealt with the toys, he put the boxes away in a careful manner, then went about straightening up the rest of his room.

"That's much better," he praised.

"Andy!" cried his mother from downstairs. "Telephone!"

"Coming!"

He headed to the door but before he left, he gave one last look around, to confirm his satisfaction with what he had done. His toys balancing out the whole of his room. Then his gaze shifted toward Woody. If anything, his frozen plastic smile seemed to have gotten wider. Once again Andy didn't question it. He simply smiled and left the room. He headed down the stairs and turned the corner in the livingroom. There he met his mother, holding out the reciever of the phone and looking slightly shocked. Molly was hovering nearby and looking at the phone with a mix of different emotions. Andy frowned.

"Mom? What's wrong? Who is it?"

"It's your dad," she replied.

"My dad?" he questioned. "What does he want?"

"He wants to speak to you," she told him. Then she laughed softly. "It's been a while since I last talked to him. He said you called him a few days ago."

"I did?" Andy asked as he took the phone.

"You mean you don't remember calling him?" asked Molly. "That has to mean you had a few too many while we were away."

"Molly," her mother scolded. Molly buttoned her lip and focused her attention on her doll. "Why don't you help me unload the suitcases."

"But mom," she whined.

"No buts." Molly sighed, then followed behind her, grumbling as she went.

By the time they were bringing the last of their suitcases in the house, Andy had already finished his conversation with his dad. He hung up just as his mom passed by.

"Finished talking to him already? That was a short conversation."

"Well he didn't really want much. He said he was glad to hear from me, even though I don't remember calling him, and he'd like to see us again."

"Really?" said Mrs. Davis, a bit surprised. "When?"

"Well, I said I'd call him back and let him know, after I talk to you guys. That's okay right?"

"Of course it's okay," said Mrs. Davis smiling. "I want your father to keep in touch with you and Molly."

Andy nodded. "Well, if you don't need me for anything, I think I'll go for a walk."

"Are you okay?" she asked, suddenly concerned by his sudden troubled look.

"Yeah. I just, want to clear my head a little."

Andy stuffed his hands in his pockets and headed out the front door. If he couldn't remember whatever it was he'd forgotten, he wished he could recall his phone call to his dad. Something told him he'd had it, even if he couldn't remember the conversation. Either way, he was pleased to hear from him again. As Andy started to move down the sidewalk, he was distracted by the sound of something scurrying from behind him. He turned and saw a pretty black girl about his age, with her hair pulled back, rolling down the pavement on a skateboard.

"You're Andrew Davis right?" she called to him.

"Andy, yeah," he corrected.

She stopped when she reached him and flipped her board into her hand.

"Andy. I'm Rachel Harding," she said as she extended a hand. Andy shook it with a questioning look on his face.

"Okay," he replied, not sure of why some random girl would come up to him like this.

"I'm one of Jen's friends', well, was is more like it."

"Jen," he said bitterly. He thought back to her, even though he no longer had a desire to. She was often surrounded by a good number of girls. He didn't recall paying much attention to who they were. He stared back at Rachel, still taken aback that one of Jen's friends would approach him like this.

"Yeah, she told me about the camping trip."

"Camping trip?" he asked, still confused. He didn't recall having the camping trip with her, nor did he want to try and remember it if it had happened.

"She called and griped about how selfish and unreasonable you were. Well, I knew none of it was true."

"Really? How could you be so sure?" he asked curiously.

"Because I've seen you Andy. You're a good person. You're kind and caring, something Jen's failed to possess. Anyways, I got tired of it, so I stopped being her friend. I just...well, I was in the neighborhood, and I thought I'd see if you were all right." She smiled, which seemed to make her even prettier. "Jen never seemed to mind leaving a trail of broken hearts behind her."

"Oh, no it wasn't like that, I just wanted...I mean, I did like her, but..." he explained desperately. He trailed off at the look on her face which said she didn't buy his excuse. She could tell he'd had a crush on Jen. Andy sighed and shrugged. "It's a part of growing up I guess. A hard part, but it's okay."

"You handle that so well," she said, with a slight hint of envy.

"I didn't, before now. I realized that growing up doesn't have to be so scary, and that it doesn't mean I have to change."

A moment of silence followed his words. Rachel smirked at what he believed was the cheesiest thing he ever said. Andy turned away and studied his feet.

"I know, it sounds-"

"Like good advice," Rachel interupted. Andy looked up, pleased that she hadn't laughed at him.

"Yeah," he agreed. "A good friend explained that to me, I think."

Rachel nodded. "Hold on to him then." She released her board and stood back on it. "Well, I'd better let you get back to doing, whatever it was you were doing. Later."

Andy nodded as she started to roll away. He had a moment's indecision before he called back to her again.

"Hey! Ah," He stopped when Rachel stopped and looked back at him. "I'm not really doing anything important. You want to take a walk with me?"

Rachel smiled and nodded. "Sure. I'd like that."

He smiled back, then for some reason he felt the urge to look up at his bedroom window. There, to his surprise, were all his toys. Their frozen faces seemed to be directed at him. Andy couldn't help gasping when he saw the change. He knew for a fact that the only toy he placed near the window was Woody. Even though he was surprised to see them all there, he wasn't disturbed by it. He accepted it as another mystery, like his loss of memories. Nonetheless, he smiled and waved at them, perhaps regarding it as some kind of farewell. Then he turned and joined Rachel, now more confident about the future.

END.

**_'The time for us to say goodbye is near_**

**_The day I hoped would never come is here_**

**_Though many hearts are broken, we must somehow carry on_**

**_Cause I think you're gonna miss me when I'm gone_**

**_I thought my life was over when we met_**

**_So little to remember, so much to forget_**

**_Though it was you who saw me through the darkness to the dawn_**

**_Still I think you're gonna miss me when I'm gone_**

**_I'm a modest man_**

**_And it hurts me, to say these things to you_**

**_After all we've been through, it's the least that I can do_**

**_So instead of just goodbye I'll say so long _**

**_As for the light by which you see me, leave it on_**

**_I'm a better man than I was before_**

**_Knowing you has made me strong_**

**_And I sure am gonna miss you when I'm gone_**

**_Yes I sure am gonna miss you, when I'm gone'_**

**There you have. It's the end. I know most of you are sad that it's over. I am too, but at the same time I'm glad I'm done with the writing for this story. Now I can go back and enjoy what I wrote lol ;). And also, I'm glad to have had so many fans for this fic.**

**So, in the end, Andy didn't remember his adventure, but at the same time he did. He remembered his feelings (even though he wasn't sure how he arrived at them). Like his feelings about his toys and growing up. I found that part kind of easy to write. It had to be that way because since I intended it to fit in with the Toy Story movies, Andy couldn't remember that the toys are alive. It would conflict with TS 3. And with the mention of TS3, Woody and the toys' feelings about Andy forgetting was the trickiest part to write. **

**Since this story takes place before Toy Story 3, Woody had to still be attatched to Andy. But at the same time for this story, he needed to let go, just a bit. The other toys have for the most part accepted Andy moving away from them, but Woody is still holding onto the idea that he can be there for him. And that in turn would lead to Woody trying to get Andy's attention in TS3 and so forth. It was choosing the right words. I feel at the end, I included myself as the character of Rachel Harding, even though my name isn't Rachel Harding, (but I chose it cause I liked the name), and I'm not a skateboarder. There are so few African Americans in disney animated films, so I took advantage of that for this fic and played the role of Rachel. A fun way for me to conclude this story by literally throwing myself in there.**

**Since I was looking at this as a movie, I thought about having the credit song. As soon as I saw Randy Newman's "When I'm gone" I was thrilled, because the song fit so perfectly. It's like Andy's words to Woody! So you can't finish the fic without listening to the song on youtube! Though I didn't really want a sad song to end with, I fell in love with the lyrics.**

**Anyways, Andy learned a lot about growing up and I hope you did too. In a way, this story is like a TS3 from Andy's point of view, since the movie focused on Woody's point-of-view. Like I may have said earlier, we didn't get to see how Andy dealt with growing up in the movies, so I tried to depict it in the best most exciting way possible.**

**Thanks again for reading and taking the time to review! I encourage you all to take advantage of writing the rare Andy and Woody stories! **

**Later!**


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